


SAIL

by LexyRomanova



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Romance, Spiritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2018-12-01 00:12:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 316,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11474559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexyRomanova/pseuds/LexyRomanova
Summary: It's always the same nightmare. The long haired man standing on a cart with a rope around his neck. What does she feel so guilty about? What makes her hate herself so fucking much? And why does she dream about a man she's never seen before? A Vane/Eleanor reincarnation story, more details inside!





	1. A New World

**Chapter 1: A New World**

_**Trigger Warning: This first part of the chapter contains self-harming!** _

It's always the same nightmare.

The long haired man standing on a cart with a rope around his neck. As he says his last words she watches from a distance, her heart aching.

She wants to scream, to make the execution stop.

The words try to come out, but for some reason she doesn't let them. The man looks her way and in his piercing blue eyes she sees a mix of emotions.

Anger. Hate. Pain. Disappointment... Love?

And when the cart moves, when he steps off the edge and hangs, Eleanor jerks awake, heart racing, the word "Don't" on her lips and tears streaming down her face.

The feelings of guilt, self-hatred and regret she's had her whole life are always stronger after the nightmares. It's 4 in the morning and she can't breathe. When the blonde gets out of bed and runs into her bathroom, seeing herself in the mirror, she wants to die.

She hates herself.

"To fear death is a choice" She whispers, repeating the mysterious man's words. Holding back more tears, she undresses, takes the sharp blade she hides in one of her drawers and steps into the shower. Sinking to the ground she deals with the self-hatred and despair the only way she can, cutting through the skin of her thighs.

As the blood flows out of the cuts, she finally lets herself cry, sobbing and shaking. And the same questions run through her mind.

What does she feel so guilty about? What makes her hate herself so fucking much? And why does she dream about a man she's never seen before?

Eleanor cries until she's too exhausted, cleans up her new cuts, waiting until the bleeding stops before going back to bed, feeling empty. As she falls into a restless sleep, she feels the pain. In her thighs from the cuts. In her head from all the crying.

But mostly, in her heart.

 

* * *

Across the city, the man from her nightmares wakes up in his hideout, pushing down the pang in his chest.

He has no reason to be sad. He and his accomplices have just successfully robbed a bank. With all the money they got, he should be ecstatic. But he was dreaming about her again. That face that's been haunting his dreams for years, that woman he's never met, but looks so familiar.

He lights a cigarette, thinking about the face that by now he knows as well as his own. The blonde hair. The blue-green eyes, shining with determination and strength. He just knows she's fucking stubborn and without realizing, he lets out a small chuckle, feeling a weird sense of affection spreading through his chest.

"This is ridiculous", he thinks, pushing the feeling down. Still, he can't shake the feeling he needs to find her. That she needs him.

He's worried about a person he only sees in his dreams.

"Fucking absurd", he mumbles, shaking his head.

Hearing the slight rustling of sheets and an unintelligible muttering, he looks back, able to see his two accomplices since the curtain that acts as a wall between their room and the main space of the hideout is open.

Jack, probably still drunk from their earlier celebrations, tries to move in his sleep, causing Anne to wake up briefly and hit his chest, telling him to "Stop fucking moving."

Charles smirks. He's never been in love, despite all the women he's been with. But he admires what these two have.

Even though they're far from a normal couple, they're loyal.

Thinking about loyalty brings a wave of the resentment he also feels about the blonde haired woman in his dreams. The affection from earlier is mostly gone, being replaced by anger. Sighing, he decides to stop trying to understand these feelings. He's not sober anyway, and he should be sleeping.

Going back to his bed, he tries not to think about her, the affection, the anger, and about how fucking worried he feels.

* * *

"Why do birds have to be so loud?" Is Eleanor's first thought when she wakes up in the morning, hearing the birds sing in her balcony, making her headache worse. For a moment, she wonders if she's hungover, but then she stretches her legs and feels the sharp pain in her thighs, reminding her of what happened a few hours ago.

Sighing, she gets up and changes, knowing her father is probably waiting for her so they can have breakfast. She uses makeup to hide the obvious signs of how much she cried before getting out of her room, walking through corridors and going down the grand staircase, ignoring the pain from the cuts.

Sure enough, her father is waiting for her at one end of the ridiculously long table, wearing the usual business suit, his face hidden behind a newspaper.

From where Eleanor stands, she can read the leading article. A bank was robbed. It was that trio again. It's unbelievable, how no one can catch them, no one even knows what their faces look like, she thinks as she sits down.

Her father lowers the newspaper, finally looking at his daughter sitting at the other end of the table.

"You don't look too well." He says, distant as always.

"I couldn't sleep" She lies.

He shakes his head.

"Remember there's an important party this weekend, I do not want you looking half dead to all my guests, so make sure you get some sleep. Have you bought a new dress yet?" He asks, as servants begin to bring their breakfast to the table.

Rolling her eyes, she takes a sip of water and lifts her chin as she smiles, knowing her answer will annoy him. "Not yet. But i am going shopping tomorrow with Max to take care of that."

He looks at her with a bored expression, sighing heavily.

"Why must you do this? There are so many young ladies who would be better company for you. It is horrible for your reputation, being seen walking around with that low life of a woman."

She gives him a sharp look. "Do not talk about her like that. She's the only real friend I have. And we both know that."

Deciding to drop the topic, he shakes his head in disapproval one last time before saying without even looking at his daughter. "Make sure you get the best dress you can find, and some new jewelry as well. I want you to look impressive this weekend."

Frowning and looking at him suspiciously, she lifts her chin again in defiance.

"And why is that?"

"There will be a special guest. I want you to meet him. I trust I can expect you to be on your best behavior, yes?"

She rolls her eyes. Of course.

"Is this one younger than you, at least?"

"Watch your tongue. You will like him."

"Yeah. Of course I will" She says, tone full of sarcasm.

They are silent for the rest of the breakfast.

Finally her father gets up, sighing as he makes his way to the door of the breakfast room.

"I have a meeting in New York tonight. My flight leaves in two hours and I probably will not be back for another two days. You go on and spend as much money as you need shopping tomorrow. And try not to be seen arm in arm or holding hands with that woman in public. I do not need another scandal involving the two of you." Richard says as he walks out of the breakfast room, leaving Eleanor alone. She smirks to herself.

"I bet another scandal would make a fine impression for this new idiot you want me to meet." She gets up, taking out her cellphone to text Max as she starts the walk back to her room.

* * *

"He just left, again? Let me guess, you had no idea he was leaving." Max says from Eleanor's bed as she watches her friend close the door to her balcony.

"As always. At least he told me this time. That's new." Eleanor rolls her eyes, causing Max to smirk. She smiles back as she goes over to the bed and sits down, wincing slightly at the pain from the cuts.

Max's smirk drops instantly, a worried frown replacing it.

"You did it again, didn't you? How bad was it?" She asks, already reaching for the hem of Eleanor's bathrobe.

"I'm fine." The blonde says, moving away.

"Eleanor. Let me see it." Her friend says with a serious tone.

Sighing, she lets the other woman expose her thighs.

"It hurts my heart to see you do this to yourself, my darling. I've seen deeper ones but still, it hurts me every time. Was it that nightmare again?"

"Yes. It's driving me insane, Max." she says, feeling fresh tears starting to form in her eyes, but refusing to cry again.

"And the night terrors?"

"They only get worse too. I can't even sleep some nights. And now my father wants me to meet some new idiot at that stupid party this weekend, and I just want to scream a big fuck you to all these people, but at the same time I want to do what's best for the Trading Company. I don't know what to do anymore." She says, her voice breaking.

"Oh, my angel. It's okay." Max says, pulling her into a hug. "When things get rough. You can always come to Max. You know that, right?" She says softly, her reassuring accent offering the blonde some comfort, as it always does.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." Eleanor says, ignoring the strong sense of déjà vu that phrase her friend said brought her.

"You'll never have to know." Max says, pulling back and winking at her.

Laughing briefly, Eleanor brings her walls up again, pretending she didn't nearly have a breakdown in front of her friend. "So. You wanna go spend sometime down at the pool?"

Max smiles, knowing her too well. "Of course my dear. Of course."

* * *

Jack groans as Anne brings her fist down into the table with a loud bang.

"Serves you right." She says and rolls her eyes at her hungover partner.

"Darling, my head is pounding enough already. You don't need to make it worse. Charles, tell her."

"She's right." He says simply, staring out the window and taking a drag of his cigarette.

Jack rolls his eyes, annoyed at how Anne could drink as much as she wanted and not get a hangover.

"Well whatever. I'm going to lay down and sleep this off. You two have fun moping..." He gestures towards Anne, who was slouching on the couch with a bored expression, and then at Charles "...And daydreaming about a woman you've never met."

Charles growls, Jack putting his hands up before hurrying off to the bedroom he shares with Anne.

Of course his friend knew what was bothering him.

Ever since he drunkenly revealed about his strange dreams, Jack always knew whenever he had them.

He shook his head, finishing his cigarette and turning around to find Anne regarding him with a strange look, as if thinking he was crazy because of the dreams. "What you looking at?"

"Fuck off" She says in her usual sweet nature and gets up to go check on their guns, leaving an amused Charles behind.

* * *

_Guthrie mansion_

_11:00 p.m._

"What time do you want to go shopping tomorrow?" Max asked as she and Eleanor laid in bed watching movies.

"Ugh. I'd rather not go at all."

The horror movie illuminated the room just enough for her to notice the smirk on Max's face.

"Will your father notice if you just wear one of the dresses you already have? You own so many!"

"Trust me, he will. And he'll give me hell for it."

"You poor thing. But don't worry. As usual, I'll come by around midnight to rescue you so we can go out and drink."

After the movie ends, both women get up and start getting ready for bed.

"Do you think you'll have them tonight? The nightmares?" Max asks as they get in bed.

"I hope not. I really want and need a full night of sleep"

"I'm here to chase them away. Don't worry." She jokes, causing Eleanor to chuckle.

Saying their goodnights, both woman soon fall into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

_She hears the men drinking and celebrating. The waves crashing into the beach. She's annoyed at the men._

_They are too reckless. Too violent. She knows._

_But who are they?_

_"Don't mind them." A deep voice says, making her shiver "It was a good hunt. The celebrations will last for a while tonight."_

_Eleanor knows that voice. The man from her nightmares._

_The one who hangs._

_She's laying down somewhere. Looking around, she takes in her surroundings. Is she in a tent?_

_All thought leaves her mind when she feels a pair of strong arms come around her from behind._

_"Just ignore them." The voice says in her ear now, lips caressing the side of her neck. Closing her eyes, she lets herself enjoy the feeling. It's not like her to be this careless. But it feels good. It feels right and familiar._

_As one of the man's hands caresses her left thigh, her eyes snap open in alarm. But she doesn't feel any pain. Confused, she looks at her thighs. No scars. No cuts._

_"What's wrong?" He asks and only then she turns to look at him._

_Yes. It's him. The mysterious man from her nightmares._

_He's looking at her, a hint of worry in his eyes, as if he's trying to hide it._

_"Nothing..." she answers, a strange happiness filling her suddenly as she touches his face and smiles "Absolutely nothing."_

_Happy tears come to her eyes as she gives in to the urge to kiss him, and he seems surprised by her actions for a second before responding, kissing her as his arms come around her waist to pull her flush against him._

_A gasp escapes her when he pushes his leg between her thighs, and he uses the opportunity to start trailing kisses down her neck to her chest. She tangles her hands in his hair, feeling light headed and hot._

_She wants to say something. A name... **His name**._

_She only has to remember..._

_But then there's a voice that isn't his and she feels smaller, more delicate hands on her shoulders, gently shaking her._

_"Wake up."_

_Everything around her starts to fade as the voice gets more urgent._

_"Eleanor. Wake up."_

And she wakes up with a start.

Max is looking at her with eyes full of worry as she lays beside her on the bed.

"What?" The blonde asks, confused, still feeling the heat between her thighs from the dream.

"I'm not sure. You were calling out someone's name. I think it was Charles." Max explains as they both sit up in bed.

"Why'd you wake me?" Eleanor groans, irritated by the disturbance of having been awakened from such a nice dream with the mysterious man.

"I thought it was another nightmare."

"Wait, you said I was calling out for someone? Charles?" Eleanor grips her forehead as a really strong sense of déjà vu overcomes her, making her dizzy.

"Are you okay?" Max asks in concern and the blonde blinks hard while the fog in her brain clears.

"I don't know anyone named Charles."

"It's what it was sounding like, yes. But I could be wrong."

"You must be. I never met anyone named Charles." She frowns, because it feels like a lie.

A betrayal to someone. Her feelings of guilt get strong again.

"Well. It's still 3 in the morning. We should go back to sleep. You sure you okay?" Max asks, laying back down.

"Yeah. It wasn't a nightmare."

Far from it.

"What was the dream about, then?"

"I... Don't really remember." She lies, still feeling hot from the dream.

"Hmm. You're no fun." Max complains, yawning as Eleanor lays back down as well and quickly falls asleep again.

But the blonde isn't so lucky.

She stays awake for a long time, thinking about the dream. This was strange.

Up to this night, she had only had the same nightmares about that man.

And now, this.

The way he touched her... It had felt so real.

She sighs, turning on her side.

As sleep overcomes her, she can't help but remember how good his touch had felt. And how she could've sworn she had already felt it before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based off a dream I had a few weeks ago.
> 
> Basically, the idea is that a few characters from the series have reincarnated and are now living in the 21th century. We'll see how their lives will intertwine once again, what will happen to them, and how long it will take until they remember who they are.
> 
> About Eleanor's breakdown and self-harming habits. I know it may be out of character for her to do this, but I'm trying to be realistic. In this life, she has grown up really sheltered, and hasn't lived in a harsh place where she was always seeing death and violence. This has an impact on her personality. But of course, I will not write her as a spoiled and weak girl. I'll try to keep her original personality as much as I can.
> 
> Anyway, I already have a few more chapters written and this story will get a lot darker, dealing with abandonment of children (When we start to get a look into the criminal trio's past on this current life), and some harsh themes like sexual abuse, but nothing too explicit. And I will put trigger warnings whenever it comes up.
> 
> Also depression and self-harm, obviously.
> 
> More characters from the series will eventually start to appear too, while some others will be vaguely mentioned. But the main focus of this fic is and will always be Vane/Eleanor ;)


	2. The Challenge

"Fuck you, Jack!"

The all too familiar yelling wakes Charles up and he walks out of his room, in time to see Anne stomp out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

He looks from the door to a exasperated Jack, arching an eyebrow.

"Don't ask." His friend sighs as he slumps down on a chair, rubbing his forehead.

"Should we worry?"

"Nah. She's just going out for a drive."

Charles shakes his head slightly, walking to get a glass of water and a cigarette.

"You've seen the news? We're all over it. A grand escape, again. Bet that asshole Woodes is already at the crime scene shouting orders and freaking out about this whole thing." Jack says, smirking proudly.

"He wants to find us so bad, I'll be happy to beat him up any day."

"Where does all this anger towards him comes from?"

"Wish I knew" Charles says, putting a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

"Anyway. I have a challenge for you." Jack says and he looks at him, leaning against the wall.

Anne comes back through the door, causing both men to look her way.

"Weren't you going for a drive?" Her partner asks.

"Fucking rain's too strong." She grumbles before heading to the couch and slumping down on it.

Jack shrugs, looking back at his friend.

"As I was saying. I bet you can't get through the security of the Guthrie Mansion."

Anne snorts from the couch "You fucking high?"

"Bored, darling. So, Charles? How about it?"

Their leader smirks "It's a bet."

Jack laughs as Anne leaves them again, mumbling something about how stupid they are.

* * *

Her father got home two hours ago. He did not seek her out. He probably did not even come close to her room.

Eleanor sighs, trying to pretend she doesn't feel the pain of his rejection. She should be already used to it by now. But it still hurts her.

Max left in the morning, before he came back. Yesterday they went shopping and Eleanor bought what her dad had asked her to.

Part of her, a small, stubborn part, had hoped he would come to her when he got home so she could show him the damn dress she got.

Shaking her head, the blonde gets out of the bathtub and gets dressed, drying her hair a little with a towel, not even bothering with blow-drying it for now.

She gets out of her room, going through the various corridors.

Walking past the open door to her father's office, she hears voices inside. Her father's and a man she didn't know. She would have kept walking, but hearing her name makes her stop in her tracks.

"...is why I called you. I know you showed an interest on her in the past. And I feel it's time for her to have a husband."

"Sir, it's really an honor. I hope to be pleasant company for her this weekend at the celebrations."

The voice brings another sense of déjà vu, along with a slight feeling of dread and she shakes her head, paying attention as the conversation continues.

"You will be, I assure you. What time can I expect you to arrive?"

"I will be here at eight."

"Excellent. She will be ready to meet you by then."

"Thank you, Sir. I will do my very best to please your daughter."

"I have no doubt of that. She is a complicated young lady at times, but I have a feeling she will like you, Woodes."

Her breath catches, and Eleanor can't fight the urge to run. When she realizes, she is already back inside her room, slamming the door behind her. Feeling sick, she tries to calm her breathing and her racing heart, despair making it hard to think. She's on the verge of having a panic attack.

That name... That voice. That man.

She knows he means the end of her freedom.

Beneath that nice, gentleman's mask there's something bad. She just knows it.

Her mind is foggy and she hears a voice. "He found me..."

She frowns as the fog clears and she realizes it was her own voice. "Great, I'm going fucking insane. Talking to myself."

Her racing heart finally starts to slow down and she gets a grip on her emotions again, just in time, as there's a knock on her bedroom door.

It's her father, coming to tell her they will be going out for lunch.

And as she gets ready, she can't shake the dread that settles in her stomach as Woodes' voice keeps echoing through her mind.

* * *

 

Night falls as Charles gets ready to head to the mansion.

It's insane and he knows it. But he could never say no to a good challenge and besides, there's something telling him he should go.

Anne is pissed, and if looks could kill, he's pretty sure he and Jack would be already dead and buried by know.

"I'm not driving." She says, from her spot against the door of one of the cars they use. "If you want to get yourself fucking caught and thrown in jail, you do it alone."

"Yes, I figured. I'll take the motorcycle."

"You'll leave me alone in here, with her? Charles, she'll murder me." Jack says as Charles goes over to the motorcycle to check it over. "Better you than me."

He rolls his eyes, starting to move to stand closer to Anne, but stopping and taking several steps back when he sees the hostile look on her face.

"Guess I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight." He says, cringing at the thought.

Charles finishes checking the motorcycle, deciding it is perfectly fine for the long ride to the mansion and for the getaway if he needs to escape quickly.

"I'll leave right after midnight. I've checked around the mansion before, and that's when security seems to be slower."

"You've checked around the Guthrie Mansion?" Jack asks, frowning "Why?"

Charles shrugs "Curiosity."

"If it has anything to do with Richard's daughter, forget it. You're a highly wanted criminal, so..."

"I didn't even know the old ass had a daughter." Charles cuts him off, annoyed.

"Well, he does. She's a real beauty but people say she's also stubborn as hell and has some big issues with depression and everything."

At this, Charles' heart sinks a little, and he feels worried again. He shakes his head, telling himself it's just anticipation for what's to come later in the night.

Why would he care about the depression of some spoiled rich girl?

"Why should I care, Jack? The girl can be fucking suicidal, I don't give a damn."

"Jesus. I was just saying. Why do you two have to be like that?" He asks, pretending to be offended as Anne rolls her eyes and Charles raises his middle finger.

"Wait a minute, you've lived in LA your whole life and you didn't know that the owner of the Guthrie Trading Company has a daughter?" Jack asks.

"Will you fucking drop it?" Charles growls, raising from his spot beside the motorcycle.

"Seriously! She was all over the news two years ago, involved in a scandal. She was seen kissing another girl at a bar. People even took pictures. Remember, darling? I showed you!" he says to Anne, as she looks at him with a bored expression.

"If you don't shut the fuck up about this girl right now, I swear I'm gonna go inside that mansion and sleep with her right under her father's nose just to make you silent for a week."

"Is that a new bet?" His friend smirks, causing Anne to elbow him in the ribs, hard, and Charles is thankful as he finally shuts up.

* * *

Her father's lunch plans turned out to be just an excuse to talk to her about saturday's party and the man he wanted her to meet.

She learned that he managed the law enforcement. Her father told her not to worry about the other guests, and that he expected her to spend the whole night with Woodes.

Eleanor said she would talk to him but had no interest in spending more than a few minutes in his company.

Richard lost the friendly expression and said that she would do as he said and behave herself, that she needed to make a good impression for his guest.

And of course, she fought back and told him that Woodes could go fuck himself.

That resulted in yet another fight between her and her father, and after they got back to the mansion, she did not see him again for the rest of the day.

It was just after midnight right now, and she was at one of the sitting rooms downstairs, notebook in her lap and cigarette in her hand.

One of the benefits of living in a mansion. She could smoke and her father would not find out.

Eleanor stares at the screen of the notebook, her eyes drinking in the pictures, heart filled with longing.

The pictures she was looking at showed the city of Nassau.

Sighing deeply, she touches the screen, heart aching, tough she had no idea why. She stayed like this for a few minutes, feeling tears in her eyes, but refusing to let them out.

A noise from outside catches her attention and she turns to look behind her.

The large pool area seems empty and perfectly normal, no one in sight.

She frowns. Something's wrong.

Setting her notebook aside and extinguishing her cigarette, she gets up and walks to the large windows that show the pool area. Her heart starts racing and her blood feels like ice.

But she doesn't feel bad, for the first time today. Ignoring every rational thought, she walks to the door and opens it, stepping outside and looking around.

* * *

_Earlier_

Charles stops the motorcycle, watching the mansion loom in the distance.

Why Richard Guthrie had such a big place only for him and his daughter was beyond him. He figured it was just a way to show off his money. Shaking his head, he pulls out a cigarette, deciding to calm his nerves before going to the mansion.

He had no idea why he was feeling like this.

He broke into so many places before; the mansion would be just another one for his collection.

And this wasn't even a real "hunt", as he and his two accomplices called their crimes. It was just a bet.

Charles checks the camera in his bag. To prove he had went inside the mansion, Jack told him he had to take at least two pictures of the pool area.

"Piece of cake", he thinks, finishing the cigarette and throwing it aside as he starts the motorcycle again, ready to get this over with so he could go back to the hideout and get out of this biting cold.

As it turned out, getting through security was easy, and he soon found himself in the spacious pool area. Smirking to himself, he kept in the shadows and pulled out the camera to take the pictures.

As he was putting the camera back in the bag, a flash of movement inside what seemed to be a sitting room catches his eye.

Charles moves further into the shadows, waiting to see if someone would walk into the pool area.

When no one does, he looks at one of the windows and sees what had caught his attention.

There was a blonde sitting in one of the expensive couches, with a notebook in her lap, smoking, one of her hands touching the screen.

To say he was entranced was an understatement.

He could not see her face from here, but something about her was so familiar. He couldn't take his eyes off her, feeling drawn to her like a magnet, and as she gets up and goes to the window, frowning, he feels his heart race.

"So this is Richard's daughter." He thinks as she heads to the door and unlocks it, stepping out and looking around.

That's when he snaps out of his trance and realizes just how fucked he is.

The only way to get out of the pool area was to step out of the shadows right into the open where the Guthrie girl could see him. But he didn't know if he could wait until she went back inside. He couldn't risk staying here too long and being caught by the security.

To his horror, instead of going back inside, she starts walking further into the pool area, fearless, and closer to his hiding place.

Mind made up, Charles quickly takes his robber's facemask and pulls it on, grateful he had decided to bring it in case there was an emergency.

He takes a deep breath and waits, as the clueless girl continues to move closer and closer to him.

The moment she steps in the shadows and sees the outline of his figure, she opens her mouth to scream for the security to come.

But he's faster, covering her mouth with one gloved hand, the other one grabbing both of her wrists together as he spins her around and pushes her against the wall, in the shadows.

Then he looks at her face, and freezes.

It's the woman he dreams about.

There's something different about her eyes, though. There is the same strength and stubbornness, yes, the same fire.

But there is also so much despair and a sadness that makes him want to hold her in his arms and take her away from this place, to make it all okay.

Clearing his mind and pushing these weird thoughts aside, he focuses on the emergency at hand.

She is looking at him in the weirdest way.

Well, looking at his eyes. As if she recognizes them.

Knowing he couldn't let her memorize anything, not even his eyes, Charles decides to intimidate her.

His time was running short.

"You listen to me, sweetheart. I'm going to release you, but if you even think about screaming, I will snap your neck right here and leave your body for your precious daddy to find." She frowns at him.

"Now here's what I want you to do. I want you to be a good girl and wait for 20 seconds after I leave, then go back inside your nice mansion. Do this and you won't get hurt. Alright?" When she just stares at him in defiance, he pushes her harder against the wall, making a whimper escape her and asks again "Alright?"

She nods once, still frowning at him.

He slowly uncovers her mouth, relieved when she doesn't scream.

But he's surprised when she whispers something in the darkness.

"I'm not afraid of you."

And she isn't. He sees it in her eyes as she lifts her chin up at him, challenging him.

Déjà vu.

"Then you're fucking stupid."

Charles doesn't know why, but he can't fight the urge to touch her, raising his hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear, watching her shiver at his touch.

"20 seconds, Princess." He says as he reluctantly turns around to run the same way he had sneaked in.

* * *

Eleanor stays outside for far longer than 20 seconds, trying to understand if this was real or not.

When she saw a strange man hiding in the shadows she had been scared. But when he pushed her against the wall and she saw his eyes, the fear somehow melted away. Though it was dark and his face was mostly hidden by the robber's mask, she would have recognized those eyes anywhere.

Those piercing, soulful and impossibly blue eyes.

Then he spoke and she felt all the air leave her lungs. She remembers the same voice clearly from her dream and from the nightmares.

Now, standing out here in the pool area, she does not know what to think. She blinks hard, this is the method she uses to wake up from nightmares, and also to check if she's dreaming or not.

"This is real." Eleanor thinks, touching one of her wrists as well as the spot his hand had brushed her face when he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Miss Guthrie?" A voice calls from behind her.

Mr. Scott. One of the security men.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, eyes full of worry.

She really should tell him that there was a man here just a few minutes ago. She should. But the feelings of guilt get strong at this thought, and a voice tells her not to betray him again.

_What the fuck?_   She thinks as she looks back at Mr. Scott.

Where did that thought come from? She did not even know the strange man who was here a few minutes ago.

"Yes. I heard a noise out here and came to check, but turns out it was just a stray cat looking for food." she lies easily.

Mr. Scott smiles warmly at her.

"Please don't come outside if you hear something, dear. Just call me and I'll come check. I don't want you putting yourself in danger's way." He says as she comes closer.

"I know, it was stupid. I don't know what I was thinking. Next time I'll call you. Don't worry."

He smiles at her again, patting her shoulder. "You should go inside. It's cold and late. You should be in bed, young lady."

She laughs. If it was anyone else telling her this, she would probably tell the person a big fuck you.

But this was Mr. Scott. He was like a father to her.

Hell, he probably cares about her more than her own father. When he isn't on duty at the mansion she goes to visit him at his house and sometimes feels better there than here at the mansion.

"I know. I'm going now. Good night." She says and walks to the door of the sitting room.

"Good night, my dear."

Going inside and locking the door behind her, Eleanor grabs her notebook and makes her way in the dark up the grand staircase, heading to her room.

Setting the notebook on her desk, she lays down in bed, mind still spinning from what happened.

Had she met the man she was always dreaming about? Was he real, after all? What was going on?

"This is fucking insane."

Deciding to figure all this out when she wasn't so exhausted, the blonde closes her eyes, letting the memory of the man's voice lull her to sleep.

* * *

Charles watches the mansion from a distance.

It was completely reckless.

The Guthrie girl had probably called the security, the police could be on their way to the mansion right now and yet here he was, unable to tear his eyes away from it.

This was so strange.

His mind races, trying to come up with logical explanations, and making him even more confused.

Had he seen her face before?

He gets on the motorcycle and speeds up as much as he can in the direction of the hideout.

* * *

"Will you stop?" Anne snaps at Jack, who was nervously tapping his fingers on the table in front of him.

"He shouldn't be taking so long. I have a bad feeling. What if he got caught?" He asks and the redhead snorts.

"It's more likely he actually went inside and is fucking the Guthrie girl right now."

His partner groans at her, just as the door opens and Charles comes in, shutting it behind him.

"So? Did you get the-" Jack's words are cut off when Charles throws the bag to the floor and speaks in a voice that could scare even Anne off.

"Did you show me her pictures?"

"What?" His accomplice asks, confused.

"The Guthrie girl, damn it! Did you ever show me pictures of her before?"

"Uh- No, why?"

"Think, Jack, think very hard, are you sure? Are you absolutely, 100% sure?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure, why? Did you see her?"

"Yes!" Charles snaps, causing both Jack and Anne to jump slightly.

"Yes, I fucking saw her! And you know what? She's the damn woman I dream about!"

Anne looks around, silently watching the two men.

Jack seems to be at a loss for words.

"Are you sure?" He asks but immediately regrets it when Charles punches the table separating them, hard.

"Yes, I'm sure, Jack! How's this possible?"

"Um... Well, you could have seen her somewhere and-"

"I already told you, I didn't even know the old ass had a daughter!"

"Alright, alright, calm down. Let's think about this." He says as Charles turns around and walks away from the table, both hands going to his head in exasperation.

"No. No, I won't think about it. I'll just go to bed and forget about this whole thing. I feel it's better this way."

"Bullshit. Charles, I know you, and when you have your mind set on something, you don't just forget about it. The sooner we figure this out, the better, for all of us."

But the trio's leader ignores him, walking off to his room to get into bed and try to get some sleep.

As he listens to Jack and Anne moving to go to their own bed, he can't get that damn woman out of his head, all these feelings of affection, hate, anger and resentment crashing together and giving him a huge headache.

Right before he falls asleep, he simply knows, that he will not just forget about this whole thing and that this is just the beginning of... Something.

As sleep overcomes him, there's a flicker on his mind.

And for some reason he mumbles "I'm screwed."

 


	3. Idelle

_**The last part of the chapter contains drug use. Feel free to skip it if it makes you uncomfortable. You won't miss anything important ;)** _

Eleanor sighs happily as she wakes up slowly, her hands reaching out, looking for...

For what?

She frowns, opening her eyes. She had been dreaming about the man again. Something about him killing a guy who was threatening her. Then she went to some fort to meet him and...

She presses her thighs together as she remembers what happened next, her heart rate increasing.

Shaking her head, she gets out of bed, heading to her bathroom for a cold shower.

It has been two days since her encounter with the mysterious man, and now that the shock had passed, her brain starts to suggest logical explanations for what happened.

"Maybe I saw him before and his face stayed in my subconscious." she thinks, undressing and getting in the shower

"But I've been having nightmares about the hanging since I was a child. It's not possible."

She groans, touching her forehead to the wall, the water traveling down her naked body bringing fresh memories from the dream.

She could still feel it. The way he had lifted her, turning around to press her against the wall, his body hard against hers as she wrapped her legs around his hips. She remembers each touch, each kiss, as if it was a real memory, not just a dream.

And she longs for more. More of the feeling, of the touches, more of  _him_.

Closing her eyes to savor the memory of the dream for a moment, she's brought back to reality harshly as her phone rings, and she recognizes the ring tone as the one she had set for Max.

Getting out of the shower, she goes over to the sink and answers the phone.

"Good morning, my beauty!" Max says happily, the honeyed tone and accent bringing a smile to Eleanor's lips, as the annoyance fades away.

"Morning, Max." She answers, putting the phone on speaker and setting it back on the sink, getting a towel to dry herself.

"Are you busy?" Her friend's voice echoes through the bathroom, and the blonde goes closer to the phone while wrapping the towel around her body and getting another one for her wet hair.

"No. I just got out of the shower. Why?"

"I was wondering if you want to grab lunch with me today, then we can stay at my place for a bit and I can do your eye makeup for you? Unless you prefer to go to your fancy beauty salon to get it done, or do it yourself. But I know you can never resist my talent for eye makeup." She says proudly, and Eleanor frowns, wondering why her friend was talking about makeup. She did not remember making any plans of going out with Max this weekend.

"What are you talking about?" She asks, drying her hair a little with the towel.

"Uh, the party your father is throwing? It's Saturday, Eleanor. The party is today."

The blonde groans loudly. She had forgotten all about the party.

"Oh fuck."

"I take it you forgot." Max says with an amused tone.

"I did. Completely." Eleanor grabs her phone, heading back into her room before going over to her walk-in closet to get some clothes.

"It's not like you to forget like that, dear, did something happen?"

She sighs, pulling out a shirt and some jeans.

"Look, can I head over to your place right now? I need to talk to you." Eleanor asks, looking out the glass door of her balcony.

"Of course you can. And be quick, I'm worried about you."

"Thanks Max. I will. See you in a bit."

She hangs up, pulling the clothes on and heading back to her bathroom to blow-dry her hair.

* * *

Across the city, Charles wakes up with a throbbing head, looking around and seeing the results of a drinking night with Jack and Anne. A glass of rum sat on his bedside table and his mouth felt dry.

He gets up to go in search of water, seeing his two accomplices passed out in the couch, a half full bottle of rum on the table in front of them.

Jack was sleeping in a sitting position, one arm flung over the back of the couch, the other resting on Anne's stomach as she slept with her head on his lap, one of her legs falling off the edge of the couch.

Looks like after he went to bed they tried staying up and drinking a little more, and couldn't make it to their own bed.

Charles smirks as he thinks about how hungover Jack will be when he wakes up, getting a glass and filling it with cold water to treat his own hangover.

He goes over to a window and looks out, seeing LA in the morning light. Thinking about how he wishes he could see the Guthrie mansion from here, while at the same time thankful that he couldn't.

Noise catches his attention and he looks back, seeing a disheveled Anne getting a glass of water as well.

"What?" She asks gruffly, hopping up on a counter and taking a large gulp of her water.

"How long did you two stay up drinking after i went to bed?"

"Good question. I've no idea."

Charles smirks, turning around to look out the window again, his eyes trailing in the direction of the noble neighborhoods where the mansion was located, even though he knew he could not see it or even the neighborhood from here.

Anne regards him suspiciously.

After years and years of living together, she's almost as good at reading him as Jack is.

He's been acting weird, distant, since he came back from the Guthrie Mansion.

Charles is acting as if his outburst about Richard's daughter and his encounter with the girl never even happened, but Anne knows better. She knows it's bothering him to an extreme level, sees it in his eyes.

Last night when they were drinking he would zone out every 10 minutes, deep in thought, and while Jack was drunk and wouldn't shut up, the redhead always noticed each time it happened. That Guthrie girl was affecting him, a lot.

And Anne fucking hates it. She doesn't like the girl, even though she never met her.

She just knows in her very soul that the spoiled little bitch is trouble.

From the moment Jack showed her the scandal involving the blonde and her dark skinned friend two years ago, Anne was repulsed. When she saw her picture, for some reason her mind screamed of a traitorous and cruel person. The blond hair, the fine and elegant features, every perfect detail of her appearance, the clear blue-green eyes, all combined to create an impeccable face, a beautiful portrait of a refined and stunning woman.

It made Anne sick.

She knew nothing good would come out of this. Why the hell did Jack have to come up with that stupid little challenge? She knew Charles should have never gone to the Guthrie Mansion.

Now here he was, looking out the window, lost in thought, pathetically unable to get that girl out of his head, while at the same time pretending he had already forgotten all about their encounter.

"Fucking stubborn idiot." Anne thinks, shaking her head slightly.

Minutes drag by and the silence continues until a groan from the couch catches both the criminals' attention, and they look to see Jack looking half dead as he wakes up, grabbing his head and looking around until setting his eyes on Anne, who merely raises an eyebrow at him.

"Darling, can you please get me a glass of water?"

"Only if it's to throw it in your face." she answers as he rolls his eyes, struggling to get up from the couch.

Charles listens to his accomplices' interaction, a small smirk tugging on the edge of his lips.

When he turns around to look at them, Jack is sipping on his water, while Anne watches him stoically, still sitting on the counter.

"I think i need some sugar in my blood." Jack complains, "Do we have anything sweet?"

"We have Anne." Charles says and she raises her middle finger, mumbling her classic "Fuck off."

* * *

An hour later, not far from the hideout, an expensive car draws attention as the owner drives through the neighborhood.

It's clearly not the kind of vehicle that people from this part of the city can afford, and it looks out of place as it stops in front of one of the small, simple houses.

Eleanor steps out, locking the car and walking to the front door, as Max opens it and smiles brightly at her.

"Took you long enough! Come in, tell me what's on your mind." She says as they hug briefly, neighbors watching curiously while they go inside and Max closes the door behind them.

"How do you know that something's on my mind?" The blonde asks, shrugging off her leather jacket and putting it on the couch.

"Do you have to ask? I know you well, and you've been acting weird for the past two days. I thought it was because you were irritated and anxious about the party tonight, but then you told me you forgot about it. So i knew it had to be something else." Max says as they go to her room, and she immediately starts getting her makeup supplies out while Eleanor sits on the bed, watching her friend.

"So..." She jumps into the bed as well, looking at the Trading Company's heir expectantly. "...What is it?"

Eleanor sighs "It's... Well, something happened two days ago, back at the mansion." she begins, before frowning, looking around the room and then at Max. "Where's Idelle?"

"Oh, she's not here. A client called and she went to meet him."

"This early? Jesus." Eleanor says, shaking her head as her friend smiles.

"Don't change the subject, Miss Guthrie. Now that you know my roommate's not around, you can tell me everything."

"Alright… Well. Two nights ago, I was at the sitting room downstairs, the one right by the main pool area. It was after midnight and I was smoking. I heard a noise outside and went to check. I don't know what i was thinking, it was stupid and reckless, and as it turned out, there was a man hiding in the shadows, a robber's mask covering his face-"

A gasp from Max stops her and she meets her friend's worried gaze. "Oh my God, Eleanor! Did he do something to you, is this why you've been acting distant? Are you hurt? I swear I'll find him and cut his dick off if he-"

"Max! It's okay." The blonde interrupts her, a small laugh escaping her lips. "No, he didn't rape me or anything. He just pushed me against the wall and covered my mouth so I couldn't scream for the security men to come. He told me he would kill me if I didn't follow his instructions-"

"And you did, right? I know it's not like you to follow someone's orders and you probably wanted to tell him to fuck off, but in these situations you have to do as they say!"

"Will you stop interrupting me? Yes, I followed his instructions. He told me to wait for 20 seconds after he left and then go back inside the Mansion. And I did."

"Oh. So, is that it?"

She lowers her gaze, something clouding her eyes.

"There's something else, right? Eleanor, tell me."

"It was his eyes, Max. And his voice. I knew them."

"You what? So you know who the man is? You have to tell the police-"

"No. I don't know him. But I've... Seen him."

"What are you saying?"

Eleanor sighs. "My nightmares. The man who's hanged in them. It was him."

Max frowns even more. "Are you sure?"

"What, do you think I'm crazy?"

"No, my angel. I don't." Her friend says says, taking one of the blonde's hands in hers. "It's just... Well, there must be an explanation for this."

"I've been trying to think of one, but I just can't come up with any."

Max thinks for a few moments before raising her index finger, reaching for her phone and typing something in.

"I remember seeing something on the internet once; it said you can only dream of a face you've seen before. Your brain can't make faces up." She says, scrolling through her search results.

Eleanor frowns, moving from her place in front of Max on the bed to sit right beside her so she could look at the phone's screen too.

"Here. You see? 'Our mind is not inventing faces – in our dreams we see real faces of real people that we have seen during our life but may not know or remember. We have all seen hundreds of thousands of faces throughout our lives, so we have an endless supply of characters for our brain to utilize during our dreams.'"

"You think that's true?" Eleanor asks and Max shrugs.

"It does sound true. It makes sense. And this is not the only search result that says this, look- they all say the same."

The blonde sighs heavily, drawing away and moving to lean back against one of her friend's pillows, feeling a headache starting to form.

Max smiles lightly at her friend.

"You probably saw him before and that's it, Eleanor. You come to this neighborhood sometimes, and you know why your father doesn't like it. This place is crawling with criminals. Robbers, drug dealers, even killers. So it's only natural that the man who broke into the mansion lives somewhere around here. You could have seen him in one of your visits and his face stayed in your subconscious for some reason."

"I thought about this possibility. But it doesn't make sense. I've been having the nightmares since I was a small child. Back when I didn't even know you. I remember clearly, the first time it happened I was only five years old. I remember I woke up terrified and went to my father's room in tears, telling him I was having nightmares about a man being hanged. But he told me it was nonsense and just locked me in my room." She says, ignoring the pang she always feels in her chest when she remembers this.

Max scowls, shaking her head at Richard Guthrie's coldness towards his baby girl.

"But do you remember seeing his face in the nightmares back then? Maybe you just dreamed about a random man, then later you saw him around the neighborhood and your brain gave his face to the man in the nightmares."

Eleanor considers this.

"Maybe... I don't know."

"It's either that, or..." Max smirks at her "...or you knew him in a past life."

She groans, rolling her eyes.

"You know i don't believe in that stuff. And you shouldn't either." She admonishes her friend with a stern look. "It's fucking nonsense."

"I didn't believe it until a while ago. But Idelle is crazy about this whole reincarnation stuff. She kept going on and on about it, I had no choice but to listen."

"It's probably just the weed speaking." Eleanor shakes her head, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead.

"She does talk more about it when she's high, yes. But we had some very interesting conversations about it while she was lucid as well. There's some stuff that actually make sense, you know. I mean, what about this weird exotic accent i have, even though I have lived in LA my whole life? People think I'm from a tropical island somewhere. This must come from a past life."

"I told you, your accent isn't weird. I think it's beautiful. Hey, speaking of weed..." Eleanor begins, trailing off suggestively.

Max laughs

"Yeah, it's been a few months since the last time you had some, right? I think you deserve it today, considering all the shit you'll have to go through later." Her friend says, taking out her phone and scrolling through her contacts list.

The blonde smirks. She doesn't usually smoke weed, not liking the way it affects her ability to concentrate and think quickly, but sometimes when she gets too tired of everything she has to deal with, she allows herself to smoke. The effects pass after a few hours anyway. And she just smokes once every few months, it's rare. When she met Max, the girl smoked almost every day. But Eleanor managed to make her reduce the habit drastically.

But the woman's friend & roommate was another story.

"Idelle? Are you finished with the guy?" Max asks and waits as her friend answers. "Yeah, yeah, great. Look, you can tell me all about how handsome he is later, alright? Just get your ass back here and stop by our dealer on your way, okay? Miss Guthrie is here and she needs a smoke" Max says, winking at the blonde as she rolls her eyes.

"Okay, wonderful. Bye." She puts the phone away, sighing. "Seriously. There's this man who calls her from times to times, Idelle is fucking crazy about him, says he's the most handsome man she's ever met. She won't shut up about it. Maybe she will tell us in detail what happened with him today." She smirks mischievously, as Eleanor groans and covers her face with a pillow.

Great.

* * *

Charles finishes his cigarette as Idelle walks to the door, telling him to "Call for her services again soon", before she leaves with a wink.

Jack and Anne are out in the city God knows where doing God knows what, and he had decided to call Idelle for her services in hope the distraction would take his mind off the Guthrie girl.

It did not work. He throws a glass at the wall of his room in frustration, rubbing his forehead as he sits down on the edge of his bed. What was going on?

The urge to take the motorcycle and drive to the Mansion is strong, and it takes an absurd amount of willpower not to do it.

"Fuck you, Jack." He mutters. Why did he have to challenge him? He shouldn't have accepted it. Out of all the Mansions in the fucking city, why did he have to choose Richard Guthrie's?

It was unnerving.

That girl got under his skin, he couldn't get her off his mind. The worst part was, he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't see her again. He couldn't get her off his system. The only thing he could do was sit here miserably as thoughts of her plagued his mind.

* * *

"I mean it! He didn't even have to pay me, but he insists!" Idelle says as she bursts into the room, dropping her bag in her bed, causing Eleanor & Max to jump slightly in the other bed as the dark skinned girl curls her friend's blond hair with a curling iron.

She frowns as her friend lets out a chuckle.

"Told you." The woman says as Eleanor rolls her eyes, already knowing what Idelle was talking about.

"Oh, shut up, you should see him. Eleanor! You should see him. I mean it. He's so hot!"

The blonde groans loudly "Can you please not talk about men right now?" She pleads and Max laughs.

"She's right, Idelle. Poor thing, her father wants her to meet a new guy today."

"Who is it this time?" Idelle asks as she starts to prepare the joint so they could smoke.

"I heard him and my father talking in his office the other day. He manages the law enforcement-"

She stops as Idelle gasps, nearly dropping the joint. The two other women look at her, frowning.

"Wait! You talking about Woodes Rogers?"

"Yes. That's him." Eleanor says, trying to ignore the dread that she feels in her stomach again as she hears the name.

Idelle laughs, shaking her head "Can you please stop being so fucking lucky? He's handsome as hell. I've seen him, have you seen him, Max?" She asks, lighting the joint and taking a drag as her roommate shakes her head, concentrating on curling the blonde's hair.

"Well, i have. And let me tell you, Eleanor. You will thank your father for the rest of your life." She says with a wink, passing her the joint.

"Like fuck i will. He wants me to spend the whole night talking to this man but i won't put up with it for more than an hour." She says, taking a drag and shaking her head.

"You'll change your mind when you see him. I bet." Idelle says, smirking. "You'll want to marry him immediately." She says as the blonde makes a disgusted face, passing Max the joint. The dark skinned girl laughs.

"Oh Idelle. You don't know this woman like i do."

"Of course i don't." She says suggestively, smirking at the two.

"Oh, shut up." The blonde complains. "You never should have told her." she says, looking back at Max as she takes a drag.

"Told her what, that you and i used to sleep together?"

"Max!" She snaps as Idelle laughs.

"What, it's the truth!" Her friend laughs with Idelle as Eleanor rolls her eyes, but then joins them on their laughter anyway, feeling the effects of the weed spreading through her system.


	4. Rogers

As night falls, the motorcycle speeds up through the streets of LA, heading to a deserted spot where a black car waits.

Charles stops the motorcycle and Anne gets off it, taking off her helmet and handing it to him while Jack gets out of the car and walks to them.

"Thanks Charles." He says, pressing a brief kiss to Anne's head.

"You two got everything you need?" Their leader asks, lighting a cigarette.

"Yeah, we're good. It will be an easy and safe hunt, but don't expect us back until tomorrow. We'll get on the road and drive for a while before going back to the hideout. Just to be safe." Jack says, looking around to make sure there wasn't anyone nearby.

"Sure you don't need help?" Charles asks and he shakes his head.

"Nah. We'll be okay." He says, watching as Anne goes to the car to get out of the cold. He turns to look at Charles again before saying in a serious tone.

"Listen. I know you well enough to know when there's something on your mind. And Charles, please don't do anything stupid while we're gone, okay?"

"Like what?"

"Like going to the Guthrie Mansion again."

"And why would I do that?" Charles asks gruffly.

"Oh come on. Don't think I haven't noticed. You've been miserable ever since you saw Richard's daughter." He says as Charles throws the cigarette away, clenching his jaw.

"Just... Just don't, alright?" Jack pleads him

"It's not your fucking business where I go, Jack. Aren't you the one who challenged me to go to the Mansion in the first place?"

"Yes, and I regret it deeply. All I'm asking is for you to be careful."

"I always am."

Jack sighs, looking back to the car, knowing Anne was probably getting impatient in there.

"Well. I'm gonna go now. We'll see you tomorrow, or the day after that, alright?" Jack says as he makes his way to the car, before driving off with Anne.

Charles looks down at Anne's helmet in his hand for a moment before finally putting it away, an idea forming in his brain.

He smirks, putting on his own helmet and getting on the motorcycle before speeding off.

* * *

Eleanor puts on her high heels before going to her mirror.

The eye makeup Max did for her was perfect, as always. She sighs, not wanting to get out of her bedroom. The party is already starting downstairs and the only motivation she has to get there is the thought of all the wine being served.

Yep, she's definitely going to need alcohol tonight.

The blonde makes her way to the grand staircase, putting on a fake smile as she greets some of the guests before coming to a stop at her father's side.

He takes a glance at her, his brief nod of approval letting her know that the dress was good enough.

"You look lovely." He says as he looks around the room at all the guests.

"Thank you." She's looking around as well, but only because she wants to get some wine. As one of the serving staff members approaches them, she immediately takes a glass from him, earning her a glare from her father.

"Do you have to drink already? You just got here."

"Well, I actually have to, yes. If I want to make it through the night."

"You better watch your tongue when Rogers gets here. I expect you to be on your best behavior." He says as she rolls her eyes, taking a sip of the wine and wishing it was something stronger.

"I will talk to some of the guests now. He should be here within the hour, I will go find you when he arrives. Don't drink too much." He says, walking away.

"Fuck Rogers." She mutters to herself, looking around and finding Mr. Scott near one of the large doors leading to the gardens. Going over to him, her heart feels lighter as she notices the way his eyes fill with pride when he sees her, smiling brightly at her.

"What?" She asks before bringing the wine glass to her lips.

"Sometimes I can't believe how much you've grown up." He says, shaking his head with a proud smile.

"You look absolutely beautiful. I'm so proud of you."

She smiles. This is the kind of reaction she should have gotten from her father.

At least she has Scott.

"Thank you. You act more like my father than him, you know." She says as they watch Richard talking to a group of guests, showing far more interest in them than he had shown in his own daughter.

Scott offers her a sad smile, reaching to give her free hand a brief squeeze.

"Don't let it bother you, Eleanor."

"I won't. Not anymore." She lies, her walls coming up.

Scott sighs before looking around.

"So, what about your father's special guest?"

"He says he'll be here within the hour." She answers, seeing her father looking their way and scowling at her, clearly unhappy that she was choosing to spend time with one of the security men rather than mingling with his guests.

She lifts her chin at him in defiance, causing Scott to chuckle softly beside her.

"That's my girl." He says, and she fights not to smile as her father breaks eye contact, turning his back to them.

Half an hour and three glasses of wine later, Richard rushes to her side, telling her one last time to behave herself before announcing that his special guest had arrived.

Eleanor throws Scott a pissed off look before leaving with her father to go meet the newly arrived man.

She has to admit Idelle was right, he is actually really handsome.

Obviously rich, well dressed and seems like a perfect gentleman.

He is everything every woman at the party wants.

And she feels repulsed by him.

Her father greets him with a smile. "There you are. We were looking forward to your arrival, weren't we, my dear?" He asks his daughter, a silent warning in his eyes. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes and swallowing the acid retort already at the tip of her tongue, she puts on a fake smile again and nods at the man. "Yes. We really were."

If he notices that she's lying, he doesn't let it show, his eyes not leaving hers as her father introduces them to each other.

"It is a really huge honor to meet you, Miss Guthrie. I have been looking forward to this the whole week." He says, graciously taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.

She wants to slap him.

Clenching her jaw, she forces a smile, aware of her father watching her like a hawk.

"I was looking forward to this meeting as well." She lies. She just met the man and is already sick of him. Could this night get any worse?

Rogers smiles at her as her father speaks again.

"I will leave you two alone so you can talk and get to know each other. You make yourself at home, Woodes. I hope you will have a good time."

"I'm sure I will, sir. The company of your lovely daughter is enough to make any man happy."

Richard smiles and nods, looking really pleased as he sends Eleanor one last warning look and walks off.

She feels anxiety pooling in her stomach as Rogers offers her another smile, and for a moment she wonders exactly how much trouble would she be in if she threw her wine on his face and left the party.

The thought was so appealing she almost did it, but then decided she could at least try to put up with him for a few hours.

"So, why don't we start off with your hobbies? I can't wait to know more about you, Miss Guthrie."

In her head, she can almost hear Max laughing at her.

This is going to be a really long night.

* * *

After two hours, she was bored out of her mind.

All she wanted was to say she wasn't feeling well and go to her room, then sneak out to go drink somewhere with Max.

But she knew she had to hold on a little while longer, or her father would be too suspicious.

She was currently walking the gardens with Rogers as he tells her some childhood story of his involving his father's yatch.

Looking back, she sees Scott watching them closely from his place by the door.

"Help me!" She mouths and he grins at her, wishing he could actually do something to help.

Deciding she needs more wine, Eleanor stops them in their walk.

"I apologize. Can we go back inside? I'm starting to feel a bit cold." She says innocently.

"Yes, of course! Let's get you inside, I don't want you to fall ill. I promised your father I would look after you, right?"

As if she needs a man to look after her.

As they go back inside she's quick to get a new glass of wine, drinking its contents quickly.

She notices that this makes Rogers uncomfortable, smiling slightly into her glass. Looks like he's one of those men who think women shouldn't drink.

Perfect. She found something she can use to drive him away.

Eleanor has noticed the way he avoids any talk of business with her, saving this subject only for Richard. As if he thinks she is unable to manage her father's business.

And she's actually been doing half the management of the Trading Company for years now. It makes her feel useful. Takes her mind off the depression and self-hatred for a while.

She bets she could manage the Company alone if she had to. Something in her heart tells her she is capable of so much, of managing the hardest kind of people, of ruling a place.

The words "Queen of Thieves" echo through her mind for a second and she shakes her head to clear the fog that has set in her brain.

"Are you alright?" Rogers asks, hand going to her shoulder as he looks at her.

"Yes, just got a little distracted. Thinking about the Trading Company."

He smiles before shaking his head slightly.

"You don't need to worry about it. Just leave the business for your father to handle. And if you decide to grace me with choosing me as the lucky man who you'll share your life with, I will take care of everything for you."

Does he think this is reassuring?

"Last time i checked, I was the sole heir to my father's Company." She says, her patience with this man starting to run thin.

He chuckles. "I know that, my dear. All I'm saying is that you should relax and worry about more important stuff than that. You already have motherhood to think about, children to bring to the world-"

"And who says I want any of that?" She snaps.

Rogers talking about her being a mother causes something inside her to shift, and the dread in her stomach gets worse as she feels her very soul urging her to get away from this man as if he's poison.

"Every woman wants that. Sooner or later." He smiles and she grabs another glass of wine, turning his smile into a frown.

"You are such a beautiful lady, you shouldn't drink so much, don't you think?" He asks, staring as she takes three large sips.

That does it.

Her patience with him is gone.

She takes one last sip pf the wine before lifting her chin and smiling at Rogers.

"Tell me, am I the only reason why you're here tonight? She asks sweetly.

"Yes, actually. I'm only here because of you." He answers, flashing a smile that could have charmed any woman. But not her.

Her smile turns from sweet and innocent to sarcastic as she gestures to the big door of the room.

"Then God bless and get the fuck out!"

She says, a bit too loud, and leaves him, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

As she makes her way to the large doors of the gardens, her father tries to grab her arms.

"What are you thinking? You better get back there right now and apologize!" He says, clearly angry as she makes way down the stairs. She knows he won't leave his guests so she keeps walking quickly towards the front of the gardens to get out of the mansion grounds.

She's blind with rage, and not even Mr. Scott's voice calling her name makes her stop.

Eleanor finishes the wine, throwing the glass to the ground as she finally leaves the mansion limits, immediately feeling lighter and free.

The streets of the neighborhood are empty and dark while she makes her way through them, intending to get as far away from the mansion as she possibly can.

She shakes her head as she remembers some of the things Rogers had said.

It's the 21th century, and some men still act like it's the 1700s.

She keeps on walking, ignoring the way her high heels are making her feet hurt like hell already, as well as her brain telling her it's too dangerous to be out in the streets alone at this time of the night.

A car approaches and she tries to ignore it too as it comes to a stop beside her, windows rolling down to reveal the asshole who lives in a nearby neighborhood smirking at her.

Fuck.

His name is Edward Low, though everyone calls him Ned, and he has been stalking Eleanor since she turned 17.

No matter how many times she said no, it seems to only make him more obsessed with having her in his bed.

He gets out of the car and starts walking with her.

"What are you doing out here in the cold? Shouldn't you be back home at the party?" He asks as she rolls her eyes.

"Leave me the fuck alone."

He laughs and her mind starts running to assess how much danger she's in.

She's alone with this man, slightly drunk and he's stronger than her.

Her hand goes to the small knife strapped to her thigh beneath the dress. Mr. Scott gave her that knife on her 15th birthday, and although she never had to actually use it to hurt someone, it had been used to intimidate a few perverts who tried to follow her and Max when they went out to bars at night.

The idiot grabs her arm as he says. "Come on, Eleanor, I promise I will leave you alone after just one night."

She feels him start to pull her back towards his car, the grip on her arm tight enough to bruise and panic starts to spread through her as she tries to fight it, having some trouble with the knife before finally pulling it free from her thigh, while one of his hands comes to her waist.

Before she can show the knife a flash of movement catches her eye, and suddenly there's another man at her side, colliding with Ned.

Next thing she knows, she's free of his grasp and he's on the ground being beat up by the newly arrived man in a leather jacket.

She watches in shock as the mysterious man beats him to a pulp, making his face bloody until he finally loses consciousness.

Only then he stops, wiping his hands on his jeans before turning around to face her, his long hair blowing slightly in the wind.

She freezes, tightening her grip on the knife.

"You."


	5. Reunited

"You. You're the one who broke into the mansion."

He looks at her for an instant before dropping his eyes to the knife in her hand.

"You might want to put that away."

She scoffs "Not a fucking chance."

"I just saved your ass here, Princess, you think I'm a threat to you?" His tone rises slightly in frustration and she notices his eyes darkening as they linger on her arm. Following his gaze, she sees that Ned's grip left a bruise on her pale skin, and when she lifts her eyes again she sees the mysterious man kick his unconscious form hard.

* * *

 

Charles is seething with anger.

After leaving the spot he dropped Anne off at, he went straight to the mansion's neighborhood, watching it from a distance. He saw when the Guthrie girl got out of the party, obviously angry at something, throwing her glass to the ground. He saw when she started walking the dark streets alone, something inside him stirring and urging him to follow her from a distance, to watch over her.

He had a brief flash in his mind, of leaving a tent in the middle of the night and following a blonde woman from the shadows through ancient looking streets, making sure she was okay and made it home safely.

He shook his head, and as he saw a car stop by her side and a man trying to force her to come with him, he snapped, running to her aid and beating the man down, blind with rage.

Now here he was, standing in front of the woman who's been haunting his thoughts for the last two days, her eyes wild and filled with anger at something, a knife in her hand, a red bruise on her arm, trembling slightly from being out here in the cold while wearing a too revealing dress.

His heart skips a beat when the adrenaline passes and he realizes what he did.

She had seen his face.

Charles knew what he had to do now.

He goes back to the motorcycle, getting Anne's helmet and holding it out to her

"Hop on."

"Excuse me?"

"Hop on." He says, gesturing to the empty seat behind him on the motorcycle. "Unless you want to go back to that mansion and whatever it is you're running away from, be my guest."

"I won't go back. I'll go to a bar. I can walk." She says in a haughty manner.

He raises an eyebrow, eyeing her high heels.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Walking in heels is perfectly fine for me." She lies.

"And just what are you gonna do when that idiot right there..." He points to Ned's unconscious form "...wakes up in a few minutes and goes after you in a fit of rage because you turned him down?"

She looks back at the knocked out asshole, then lifts her chin at Charles, showing him the knife

"I still have this."

He smirks.

"I see. Do you even know how to use that thing, Princess?"

She pauses and he chuckles, offering her Anne's helmet.

She eyes it suspiciously, considering her options. As much as she hates to admit it, he's right.

She has no choice.

Taking the helmet hesitantly and putting it on, she lets him help her get on the motorcycle.

They both pause when her legs touch his body, and she hesitates with her arms at her sides.

"Go on, Princess. I don't bite. Unless you want me to."

She rolls her eyes at him before finally wrapping her arms around his waist, both their hearts speeding up at the contact.

He speeds off suddenly, making her gasp in surprise.

She had never been on a moving motorcycle before.

"Hold on tight!" He says loud enough for her to hear over the noise.

And she obeys, holding tightly to his waist as he speeds up through the streets of LA, easily dodging the cars, going faster and faster.

He was really great at this.

Her heart fills with the freedom of this moment, a smile tugging at her lips.

Adrenaline flows through her veins as happiness spreads inside her. She can't remember the last time she felt like this. Suddenly her depression, self hatred and guilt feel far away, as if they were left behind the moment he sped off the motorcycle.

She can't help the laugh that escapes her, a giddiness she never felt before taking her by surprise.

Charles hears her laughter drift off into the wind and can't help his own smile, his heart filling with affection as one of his hands go to hers on his waist, giving them a soft squeeze before going back to the handle of the motorcycle.

She doesn't care about the cold biting into her skin, doesn't care about how reckless this is.

She just cares about the now.

For once in her life, she's living in the now and not caring about consequences.

The huge smile doesn't leave her face for a second as they ride through the city.

Charles' mind starts considering his options. He knows he can't bring himself to kill her, and this would only bring more trouble anyway, considering whose daughter she is. Kidnapping her wouldn't be too wise either.

Maybe if he took her to one of their hideouts for the night he could manipulate her somehow, make sure she would keep her mouth shut about him.

He wouldn't take her to their main hiding place, not wanting to take such a risk.

Mind made up, he speeds up, not wanting people to recognize the blonde he had on the back of his motorcycle.

* * *

As they come to a stop in front of a secluded, beat down building, he helps her off the motorcycle, stopping her as she tries to take Anne's helmet off. She looks at him in question.

"Keep it on until we go inside. I don't wanna take the risk of anyone recognizing you." He explains, taking his own helmet off.

All Eleanor sees is pitch black, staying close to the mysterious man for guidance as they go inside the building and up a set of stairs.

She stops, hearing him move around with ease. He opens a window, letting some of the moonlight illuminate the place, and she goes on to take the uncomfortable helmet off, also pulling her hair loose and letting the curls Max had made earlier tumble down her shoulders.

He looks back at her and his eyes make her breath catch.

A shiver goes down her spine.

They are together in this building, just the two of them, and she notices the bed on the opposite side of the room they're in.

Suddenly there's an urge to kiss him, to let him take her to that bed.

She swallows, averting her eyes as he moves past her to lock the door, taking the key off the hole and slipping it inside his pocket.

Seeing this, she snaps out of whatever spell she had been under and annoyance spreads in her chest.

"What the fuck?" She frowns at him

"Just a safety measure, Princess" He smirks, heading over to a cabinet and opening it.

"Are you trying to keep me trapped in here?"

"Don't be so dramatic. Here." He says, pouring rum on a glass and offering it to her.

She eyes it suspiciously before raising one eyebrow at him.

"Do you honestly expect me to drink this before you do?"

He chuckles briefly.

"You're more than just a pretty face, aren't you, Miss Guthrie?"

"You can bet on that." She says as he downs the contents of the glass, before pouring more rum on it and offering it to her again.

"There. You see? There's no drugs or poison or anything. Just rum."

This time she takes the glass, trying to ignore the sparks she feels as his fingers brush hers.

Thankful to finally have something stronger than wine, she takes a big gulp, hoping it will also help warm her up.

Charles notices the way her free arm wraps around herself, realizing that she must be cold from riding a motorcycle in just that revealing dress.

He tells himself he shouldn't care, but still, he takes off his leather jacket and offers it to her.

She looks at it for a moment, then mumbles a quiet "thanks", setting her glass on a nearby table before putting the jacket on.

His familiar scent invades her senses, and she's filled with déjà vu, as she takes her glass again to drink more of the rum.

He gestures to a couch near the bed and she sits down, watching him pour himself a glass as well before making his way to the couch.

They drink in silence for a few moments before she speaks.

"Do you have a name?"

"Yes."

"Well... Can you tell me?"

He sighs. She had already seen his face, what harm could come from it?

Screw it.

"It's Charles."

_"Im not sure. You were calling out someone's name. I think it was Charles."_

Max's words echo through her mind.

"Charles." She repeats and he nods.

Hearing his name on her lips does something to him.

"And what about you, should I just keep calling you Princess?" He asks and she makes a disgusted face at the nickname, much to his amusement.

"Just Eleanor."

"Eleanor?" The way he says her name makes her shiver, déjà vu washing over her again.

"Yes. I thought you knew."

"To be honest, I only found out about your existence a few days ago. So I didn't know your name until now. I don't give a fuck about this city's high society."

She should be offended but somehow, she agrees with him.

Despite being part of it, she couldn't care less about the high society.

"So... Why did you bring me here? You plan on keeping me here now that I've seen your face and know your name?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

He chuckles softly, the sound causing a wave of heat to course through her.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On me deciding if I can trust you or not."

"If it helps... I don't really feel like helping the law enforcement at the moment."

"And why is that?"

"I just met the manager earlier today."

"Rogers?"

She nods, drinking more of the rum. "He's a fucking idiot."

He smirks, and for some reason feels relief flood him when he hears her talk about Rogers like that.

"Looks like we agree on that, Princ-" He stops when she shoots him a nasty look.

"-Eleanor."

"That's better." She says, finishing her glass. He downs his as well and holds out his hand. She gives him the glass and he gets up to refill them.

She can't take her eyes off his exposed arms, watching his muscles move beneath his skin as he pours their drinks. The alcohol coursing through her system delays her reactions, so when he turns around to walk back to the couch, he catches her staring, a smug smirk coming to his lips as he sits back down and hands her the glass.

She mentally kicks herself, taking a drink. It doesn't burn her throat as much as the first glass, and she knows she has to slow down.

It wouldn't be wise to get drunk with a man she just met.

But she can't ignore how natural this feels. As if they've done this dozens of times before.

"Was it him you were running away from?" His deep voice brings her back from her thoughts and she frowns.

"Hmm?"

"Rogers. You said you met him today. Was he bothering you at the party, back at the mansion?"

"Oh. Yes." She says, rubbing her forehead "It's... Well, my father, he- He invited Rogers so we could get to know each other. He thinks I need a husband." She says and Charles scowls, taking a drink before looking at her.

"So you just left?"

"I actually talked to him for a couple hours, but my patience ran out. So I told him he could get the fuck out, and then I left the mansion." She tells him, starting to realize that she would be in deep shit when she got back home. But she didn't care.

"Guess I'll be in some serious trouble with my father." She shrugs, but then seems to remember something.

"Oh fuck. Max!" She says, before opening her purse and taking her phone out.

Charles opens his mouth to protest but she cuts him off.

"I won't try calling the police, just need to let my friend know I'm okay. I was supposed to meet her for drinks later tonight." Eleanor grimaces when she sees the numerous missed calls and text messages she received. Some from her father, some from Scott, and one from a number she didn't know.

She sent Max a quick text saying that she was okay and that she'd meet her for drinks next weekend, before checking her other messages. She had no intentions of answering her father, but couldn't bear the thought of poor Mr. Scott spending the whole night worried about her.

She answers his messages saying she was safe but wouldn't go home tonight.

Her father had sent texts demanding to know what she was thinking, and saying that she would have to see Rogers again. She rolls her eyes and moves on to read the one from the other number.

"Oh, you have got be fucking kidding me!"

She says in irritation, and Charles reaches to take the phone from her, ignoring her protests as he begins to read the message aloud.

"Dear Miss Guthrie:

I apologize if I offended you in any way tonight; I hope you know that wasn't my intention. I took the liberty of asking your father for your number, maybe I can make up for tonight in some way? Would you like to meet me for dinner this week? I sincerely hope to see you again soon; you are an amazing woman, who is just a bit lost at the moment. But all you need is a good partner, and everything will be better. And I really want to be that person. Please be safe and go home soon. I'll be waiting to hear from you again.

Woodes."

She's even angrier at Rogers when Charles finishes reading the message, a smirk on his lips though she also sees a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

"So you need a good partner to make you better?" He teases.

She groans as he gives her the phone back.

"Now you understand why I was so eager to leave the mansion?"

He nods "That guy is an idiot. I've never liked him."

"I don't blame you." She mumbles, leaning her head back and staring at the ceiling.

Three more glasses of rum later, Eleanor is feeling that all the tension has left her body. Her worries seem far away and even her anger at Rogers has mostly vanished.

"You know what's funny?" She slurs, causing Charles to lift his eyes and look at her.

She smiles "I feel like I know you from somewhere."

His heart skips a beat. So she feels the same way he does.

Instead of saying this, he chuckles, leaning closer to her.

"We should get you to bed. You've had too much." He says, taking the glass away from her.

Surprisingly she doesn't protest, a yawn escaping her as she rubs her eyes tiredly.

And the sight is so fucking adorable that Charles has to take a moment to resist the urge of kissing her.

She looks up at him, frowning before getting up from the couch on unsteady feet.

"I can walk." She complains when he tries to help her, almost tripping on her own discarded high heels in the dark. His hands come to her shoulders to keep her from falling.

"Of course you can." He says with a low tone, close to her ear, as he starts guiding her to the bed.

When they reach it, she unexpectedly turns around, leaving their faces inches apart. They both pause, looking at each other for a few moments.

He raises an eyebrow at her, as if daring her to make a move, and she's aware of his thumb rubbing small circles on her arm.

Even through the fog of the alcohol, her body reacts to his proximity and touch, heat pooling low in her belly, and she really wants to see what will happen if she kisses him.

But then she gets a grip of herself, sitting on the bed and Charles is disappointed and relieved at the same time as he steps away from it.

"Where are you going?" Her sleepy voice catches him off guard and he looks back at her.

"The couch. You take the bed, I'll be fine."

Even being completely drunk, she still rolls her eyes and lifts her chin at him.

"Don't treat me like I'm some fragile girl. I won't be ruined or anything if you sleep on the bed too."

He almost ignores her, assuming it's the alcohol speaking, but then something in her eyes catches his attention.

Somehow, in that moment he reads her like a book, knowing exactly what she's thinking. She's desperate not to be treated like the proper and delicate girl her father and Rogers want her to be.

She needs this.

It's as if he spent years of learning how to deal with her, how her mind and insecurities work, what she wants and what she hates.

Charles frowns, wondering where this all came from. But he decides he can give her that. He can give her what she needs to feel better in this moment.

_Like always,_ A voice says in his head and he ignores it, moving to climb into bed beside her.

As she drifts off into sleep, he's sure he hears her whisper a quiet "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Eleanor." Charles says to the darkness of the room as his eyes drift shut as well.

* * *

 


	6. The Lagoon

Looking around the cruise ship's cabin, the man tries to decide what to do. He once thought he was lucky to remember everything.

But this is a curse.

He looks at his computer's screen.

He had been doing some research about the Guthrie Trading Company.

There weren't any doubts anymore. It was really them.

Typing something else, he waits for the search results to appear.

Scrolling through the results, his heart aches for Eleanor. From what he sees, in this life she has serious issues with depression and self hatred.

While part of him says she deserves it after what she did, another part wants to take the first flight to LA, go to that mansion and offer her some support. Even if she won't recognize him. Rubbing his forehead, he thinks about the criminal trio that wreaks havoc in LA, how no one is able to catch them.

He also knows who they are, having recognized the way they operate.

Had Eleanor found Charles yet?

He had no doubt these two would eventually stumble upon each other. Fate has a way of bringing them together time after time.

The question he always asks himself runs through his mind again

Who else had come back?

Suddenly a thought comes to his mind.

Typing a name, he anxiously waits for the results to appear.

"Fuck."

He looks at the results. So Rogers is now a law enforcement manager in LA.

Why did he have to live in the same city as her? Sighing heavily, he rubs his forehead.

He would have to keep close tabs on Eleanor from now on. Making up his mind, he swears to himself that if they get close to each other, he goes to LA right away to intervene.

He won't let this happen.

Not this time.

He won't let Eleanor destroy herself again.

* * *

Back at the hideout, Eleanor opens her eyes slowly, a huge headache causing her to groan. What happened?

She closes her eyes again and rolls over, wanting to get some more sleep. But as her hands make contact with something solid and warm, her eyes open immediately and she finds herself in a strange bed, face to face with a man.

Last night's events come rushing back to her and she frowns, the man- Charles, watching her closely.

"Hungover?"

"That's the least of my worries right now." She says, turning to stare at the ceiling.

He chuckles, getting up to retrieve a bottle of water from the cabinet. Taking a drink, he returns to the bed and offers it to her.

She takes it gratefully, drinking until her dry mouth and throat feel better.

Handing the bottle back to Charles, she frowns

"Listen, uh... Last night, did we..." She trails off and he smirks.

"Nothing happened, Eleanor. I just helped you get to the bed."

"Oh." She says, relieved.

A wicked glint comes to his eyes and he continues. "Besides. You were practically passing out from the rum, and I prefer my girls to be more... responsive."

She rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the pang she feels in her chest at the thought of him being with other women. Was that jealousy? She must be going insane.

"Well, anyway... Are you going to let me go?"

He looks at her for a moment, leaning back against the pillows.

"And why should I do that?"

"Because I hate the law enforcement manager, so there's no fucking way I'll help him by telling the authorities about you?"

He considers that for a while, and as she looks at him, she can't shake the thought that there's something missing. Something in his hands?

Her thoughts are interrupted when he reaches for her, his hand coming to her waist and she realizes she's still wearing his leather jacket.

Eleanor begins to protest the invasion, but then realizes he was just looking for something in the pocket of the jacket. As he pulls his hand back, she sees a cigarette pack and he takes a lighter from the bedside table.

There. That's what was missing, she thinks as she watches him smoke, the sight so strangely familiar.

"If you betray my trust... Just know that I got away from the police thousands of times before, this would just be another one. If you betray me, I will go after you."

He says and for some reason, her guilt comes rushing over her, making it hard to breathe for a moment.

"I won't betray you." She says, turning on her side to hide the tears that gather in her eyes at the thought.

_What the hell?_

"You better not." He says in a low tone as he watches her, laying with her back turned to him. He knows she's dealing with some internal demon, and whatever it is, she's raising her walls and won't let him in.

And really, why should she? They just met each other. And this was probably the only time they would spend time together like this. After she went back to the mansion, he would never see her again.

The thought causes a weird sadness to spread in his chest and he shakes his head, his own walls coming up.

This woman was trouble. There was no way he could keep seeing her.

* * *

"She's still not answering my calls!" Max exclaims in frustration as Idelle looks up at her from her bed.

"Oh, let her live! She's alright, don't worry so much."

"This is not like her, Idelle! She was desperate to get away from that mansion last night, and suddenly she texts me saying that she's OK and that we'll go out for drinks next weekend? What the hell? Something's going on, i feel it."

Idelle throws her a wicked smirk

"Oh, something's going on, sure. You see? I knew this would happen."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you see? It's so obvious! I bet she's in Rogers' bed right now, I told you she would change her mind when she saw him!"

"It's not possible." Max shakes her head "No. She wouldn't do this. I'll kill her if she does."

"Why?" Idelle asks loudly, exasperated.

Why indeed? Max didn't know. She just knows there's something about Rogers that makes her want to make sure Eleanor stays far away from him.

"He's... Not good for her."

"Where is this coming from? How do you know that?"

"I'm not sure... I just know, alright?" Max sighs, pulling out her phone to try calling Eleanor again.

* * *

Later that day, Charles' motorcycle comes to a stop a few streets away from the Guthrie Mansion, on a secluded spot of the neighborhood. Both him and Eleanor look around to check if anyone's nearby before she takes the helmet off, and he notices this, feeling a warmth spread in his chest as he sees that she's also worried about avoiding to draw attention to him. But he pushes the feeling down right away, not daring to take his own helmet off.

Because if he does, he doesn't know if he can resist the urge to kiss her.

"So." She says, smiling at him.

"So." He replies and she looks behind her shoulder in the direction of her father's mansion.

"Hopefully I'll be able to sneak into my room unnoticed."

He smirks.

"Good luck with that."

Silence stretches for a few moments before she says.

"Thank you, for the ride. I wasn't looking forward to walking all the way back here in high heels."

"No problem."

She hands him the helmet and starts to turn around before he stops her, reaching to push a strand of her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering for a moment before he brings it back to the handle of the motorcycle.

"Have a safe walk home."

A small smile escapes her as she nods, turning to begin the short walk back to the Mansion.

Charles watches until she's safely behind the huge front gates, part of him happy she didn't look back, and another part wishing she would come back.

Sighing, he starts the motorcycle, telling himself it's better like this.

* * *

Going up the grand staircase quietly, Eleanor slowly makes her way through the corridors, pausing before her father's office door. It was closed, but she could hear him on the phone inside.

Holding her breath, she cautiously walks past it, quickly going to her room.

As she makes it inside, closing her door behind her, she sighs heavily, still having trouble processing everything that happened in the last 24 hours.

Taking her phone out to check the hour, she sees more than 20 missed calls from Max.

She dials her number with a grimace, and her friend picks up right away.

"Where were you? Were you with him? Eleanor, I swear, if you're changing your mind about him I will-"

"Slow down!" She interrupts Max, before frowning. "Who are you talking about?"

"Rogers! Did you spend last night with him?"

"Ugh, no! Why?" She asks, shuddering at the thought.

"Oh, thank God! I was so worried about you."

"Please. You know me better than that. I have no intention of getting closer to that idiot."

Max laughs. "That bad, huh?"

Eleanor groans. "You have no idea. He said some nonsense about taking care of the company for me in the future, because according to him, I have more important stuff to think about as a woman, children to bring to the world."

"Oh lord. Run to the hills, darling." Max says with a chuckle, making Eleanor smile. "Which reminds me... Where did you run off to yesterday?"

"I just went out in the city, that's all." Eleanor lies, going into her bathroom to clean the remnants of makeup from her face.

"Bullshit. You went somewhere. I called Scott. He said you didn't go home while he was working there at the mansion, which means you were out in the city at least until sunrise."

Busted.

"Fine. If you must know, I... met someone. I went to this person's place and spent the night."

"Who? This is not like you, spending the night with some random person? What's going on, Eleanor?"

She hears Idelle laugh in the background, screaming a "Let her live, Max!" and rolls her eyes.

"It was just some guy I met at a bar. No big deal."

"Which bar?"

"Seriously? Are you my father now?" She snaps, annoyed.

"No. Your father wouldn't be asking all these questions, but I am, because i worry about you, and that's the difference between me and him!"

Her words feel like a slap to Eleanor's face and she scowls as silence stretches for a moment, before she hears Max sigh.

"Fuck. I'm sorry, my dear. I shouldn't have said that. I was just worried about you, that's all."

"I'm okay. That's all you need to know. Look, my head hurts like hell, so if you don't mind I'll go take a long bath and fall into bed. We'll talk later." She says coldly.

"Eleanor-"

"LATER, Max." She snaps again before hanging up on her friend, throwing her phone on the bed before heading back into the bathroom to fill her bathtub.

The blonde undresses slowly, looking at herself in the mirror. She feels different after last night. There's a newfound strength that feels strangely familiar. Charles' voice echoes in her head and she tries to shut it out immediately, knowing she can never see him again.

She feels like she'll destroy him if they keep seeing each other.

Although she has no idea where this weird thought comes from.

As she finishes taking her dress off, she thinks there's something missing.

Looking down at her thigh, she frowns.

"Shit."

* * *

Charles went back to last night's hideout to retrieve the leather jacket he left there. Wondering if Jack and Anne had already returned to their main hiding place, he makes his way up the stairs, going inside the room and heading over to the table where he left his jacket.

As he puts it on, something catches his eye.

He frowns, looking at the knife resting atop the table.

He takes it in his hand, turning it around and checking it out as a memory from last night comes back to him suddenly.

_He watches as Eleanor laughs briefly at something he had said._

_Suddenly remembering about the knife strapped to her thigh, he reaches to touch it through the fabric of her dress._

_"Maybe you should put that thing somewhere else for now. You'll end up hurting yourself." He advices, his hand lingering while he enjoys the feel of her skin's warmth as it seeps through the dress._

_She smiles "You're right. Thanks. I had completely forgotten about it." She says as she takes the knife and moves to put it on the nearby table_.

"Shit."

He remembers what she told him about the knife, how one of the security men of the mansion who's like a father to her had given it to her as a gift, and it had actually been used a few times to scare perverts away when she went out to bars with her friend.

She would have no way of defending herself now.

Putting the knife inside the pocket of his jacket, he makes his way out of the building before speeding off the motorcycle, heading to the main hiding place.

"Where were you?" Jack asks as soon as he walks through the door.

"Where's Anne?" Charles ignores his question, not seeing the little brute anywhere.

"Shower. Can you answer my question?"

"Spent the night at one of our other hideouts. This place is too big for me when the two of you aren't around." he says, lighting a cigarette. "How was the hunt?"

"Uneventful. Anne was in a sour mood all the time though." Jack sighs as Charles smirks briefly.

"Thought you'd be used to it by now."

"I am. But lately it's been worse. Ever since I challenged you to break into the Guthrie Mansion. She's still giving me hell for that."

"Serves you right."

"When I tried asking her what was wrong, she just said something along the lines of 'I feel there's something coming our way, and I don't fucking like it.'" He shrugs.

"Yeah. That sounds like her."

"Seriously, Charles. You know how she is with this sort of stuff. Every time she says something will happen, it does."

"Nothing will happen, Jack. So stop worrying about it." He says gruffly, making his way to his room.

"Don't bother me unless the building's on fire or Rogers himself is at our door." He calls to Jack before going inside and locking the door behind him.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, he takes the knife in his hands again, staring at it.

"What the fuck am I gonna do now?"

* * *

Eleanor has no idea how long she's been in the bathtub.

Her eyes are closed as she feels the water surround her, not able to remember the last time she felt so relaxed.

Opening her mouth slightly, she takes a deep breath and exhales softly, exhaustion taking her over as a result of not sleeping well for the past few weeks.

She's barely awake as she feels something pulling at the edges of her mind.

The water caressing her bare skin calls to something deep inside her, slowly making her soar as a memory of a similar situation starts to surface.

She's slipping into unconsciousness.

_With one last deep breath, she finds herself in a lagoon, the warm water helping her tense muscles relax as a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind, pulling her back into a solid chest._

_Lips graze her the side of her neck, coming up to her ear._

_"Told you this would be good for you."_

_Charles._

_She realizes she's not in control of her own actions, as one of her hands goes to the back of his neck, tangling itself in his wet long hair._

_"I have to admit. This is a welcome break from dealing with all these pirates."_

_He hums in her ear as he raises one of his arms from her waist, his hand trailing up her arm slowly and coming to a stop on her shoulder._

_"I'm one of them. Should I be offended?" He asks as his hand starts to massage her shoulder and she hums in approval at his actions._

_"You definitely should. You are the worst of them all." She says in an almost whisper._

_The deep and brief laughter in her ear makes her shiver even more and he moves his lips to kiss her shoulder as his hand continues to massage the other one._

_"But I'm also the only one who can do this to you."_

_Her breath catches when the hand on her stomach moves lower to the apex of her thighs, caressing her softly, his other arm diving below the water again to wrap around her, pulling her even closer to him._

_He doesn't stop trailing kisses and bites on her neck and shoulder while two of his fingers enter her slowly, teasing._

_Minutes drag by and since they are completely alone, she doesn't worry about keeping silent, his name leaving her lips between a series of breathy moans as his fingers pick up their pace, pleasure shooting through her body while her hand tightens its grip on his hair._

_Her other hand goes to the arm wrapped around her, holding tightly to it as his ministrations bring her closer and closer to the edge._

_She's almost there..._

A loud knock suddenly brings her back to consciousness and she jerks awake in the bathtub, looking around in confusion, breathless, her heart racing and her brain foggy.

"Eleanor!" She hears her father's voice call at the bathroom door, before he knocks again.

She hates him so much right now.

"I'm... I'll be out in a second!" She calls, and hears him sigh in annoyance.

"After you're done, come to my office right away. We have to talk."

She hears his footsteps fade away and exhales deeply, leaning her head back on the edge of the tub to stare at the ceiling.

Her heart is still beating wildly in her chest as she remembers the dream that felt more like a memory.

She can still feel his touch, her body tingling as some of the pleasure still lingers and she takes several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

Finally getting out of the bathtub, she looks at her flushed face in the mirror.

Why was she dreaming about Charles?

A lagoon, pirates?

"This doesn't make any sense." She says to herself before getting a towel, drying her body with trembling hands.

As she puts some clothes on, her heart is starting to slow down again.

The blonde gets out of the bathroom, eyeing the cellphone on her bed. Checking her messages quickly, part of her hopes she will find one from an unknown number, from Charles. It's an absurd thought, he doesn't even know her number. But still.

Sighing, she brushes her hair before bracing herself and getting out of her room, heading to her father's office while preparing herself to hear all the bullshit he'll tell her.

* * *

Waking up with a start, Charles looks around the dark room.

He just had the weirdest dream about Eleanor. They were at a lagoon, and things were getting really interesting, but then there was a loud knock and he woke up. Thinking it was Jack knocking at his door, he gets up angrily and opens it, already prepared to give his accomplice hell for waking him up from the dream.

But as his eyes roam the space that serves as their living room and kitchen, he doesn't see anyone. Everything's quiet, the late afternoon light coming in through the windows. He looks over in the direction of Jack and Anne's room. The curtains that serve as a partition between their room and the rest of the hideout are closed, which means they're probably in there, sleeping.

Charles frowns. He's pretty sure he heard a knock.

Eyes drifting to the door of the place, he goes back to his bedside table, retrieving his gun before slowly making his way over to it. Holding his breath, he waits to see if he hears anything outside.

After a few moments he throws the door open, pointing the gun.

Nothing.

Closing and locking the door, he makes his way back to his room, the frown still on his face.

Maybe he was just imagining things.

Putting the gun back on his bedside table, he eyes Eleanor's knife for a moment before brushing his fingers over it.

He needs to find a way to make sure she gets it back.

If something happens to her...

He interrupts this train of thought.

Why the hell should he care if something happens to her or not?

He pulls his hand back, tearing his eyes off from the knife and laying back on the bed.

Sleep; Sleep was all he needed.

* * *

Opening the door without knocking, Eleanor walks into her father's office, holding her chin high as she looks at him.

"Is there something you wish to discuss?"

"Yes. There is. Sit down, please."

Rolling her eyes at him, she sits down on one of the chairs in front of his desk, not averting her eyes for a moment.

"I have one simple question for you: Why?" He asks and she tilts her head slightly, a sarcastic little smile coming to her lips, pretending not to know what he's talking about.

"You know what I'm talking about. You complained that the last man I wanted you to meet was too old. So what is it this time? You have no idea how many women I heard talking about what happened last night after you left. All of them said the same thing. That you must be crazy to refuse a man like Rogers."

"If Rogers is so great, then why don't YOU marry him?" She asks with a smirk and watches as the annoyance in his eyes grows.

Rubbing his forehead, he sighs heavily. "At least tell me why you refused him. Or are you just being a rebel without a cause?"

"Of course I have good reasons not to want him. All I saw in him was a man preying on the Trading Company, eager to get his hands on it and have a trophy wife as a bonus."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night while we talked, I eventually mentioned the Company and he said I shouldn't worry about it. He said I have to think about other things and that he would take care of everything in the future, should I choose him as my husband."

"And what's so horrible about it? What's so horrible about you staying home to take care of the family you would eventually build with him while he takes care of the Company?"

She stares at him for a moment in disbelief.

"What's so horrible? Father, honestly? Would you rather him managing the Guthrie Trading Company instead of your own daughter?" She asks, watching him clench his jaw, anger spreading through her as a thought comes to her mind.

"And that is exactly the reason why you're doing this, isn't it? Because I'm your daughter, not your son! You don't think I'm capable of taking care of the family business just because I don't have a fucking dick!" She snaps, her eyes filling with rage.

"Watch your language, Eleanor!" He says with a scowl and she scoffs at him, raising from the chair and heading to the window, looking out at the gardens of the mansion.

"I'm sorry if I'm not the son you wanted so much. If you blame me for my mother's death. But I can take care of this business better than any man, better than Rogers, better than you!" She turns to look back at him. "And you had no right of giving him my number! I will ignore him and if he shows up here looking for me, I will insist on personally showing him the way out."

"You will do no such thing! You will grow to like him and if you do not cooperate, I will forbid you from doing anything related to the Trading Company!"

"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me! This business is nothing without me! I was watching it fall apart before I started to help you manage it!"

He stays silent as he watches her, clenching his jaw.

She shakes her head, feeling tears start to form in her eyes. She wouldn't cry in front of him.

"We are done with this conversation. Have a good night, father." She says, lifting her chin at him before storming out of the office.

When she makes it back to her room, the urge to let the tears out is even stronger, but she takes a deep breath, focusing on controlling herself.

She won't cry. She can't.

The past few days had changed her somehow. Now she feels stronger. And she wouldn't cry.

"I own myself. Me. No one else. And I won't let anyone change that. Not my father. And especially not Rogers." She promises herself, and for some reason, this makes her heart feel a lot lighter, relief flooding through her as she undresses and gets into bed, ready to sleep for hours to make up for the past few nights.

As sleep begins to overcome her, she wonders briefly what she'll dream about, a small smile forming on her lips at the thought of possibly continuing her dream from earlier at the bathtub.

* * *

 


	7. Returned

Charles wakes up slowly and gets up, heading to the window. Looking out at the sky, he comes to the conclusion it's around 4 in the morning.

He always had this natural instinct, of knowing what time it is just by looking at the sky. Jack says he must have been some sort of sailor in another life.

Shaking his head, he gets out of his room, hearing a whispered conversation coming from Jack and Anne's room. When he hears his name he frowns, cautiously heading to the curtain that serves as a wall to their room and listens.

"-While we were gone. He's acting different."

"Darling, I didn't notice anything. It must be just your imagination."

He hears a smack, knowing the redhead probably just hit Jack.

"S'not my fucking imagination."

"Okay, okay... I'll try to pay more attention to him, alright? So I can figure out what's going on."

"He went to that mansion while we were gone. I'm sure of it. He must have seen that spoiled little bitch again."

"Jesus, Anne. Why do you hate her so much?"

"There's something about her. She's fucking poison. I can feel it."

Her words spark something deep within Charles, and he goes back to his room, his eyes landing on Eleanor's knife.

Anger spreads through him as a thought runs through his head.

Why should he give her the knife back? She is capable of burying it on his back without a second thought.

But then he frowns, as the fog caused by Anne's words slowly dissipates.

What the hell? Where did that thought come from?

"What the fuck's going on?" He asks to the quiet room.

The past few days were doing something to him.

There was something shifting within his very soul, dreams that felt like memories, a longing for the open sea, for adventure, for blood, for  _ **her**_ **.**

For Eleanor. A longing to have her in his arms, to hear her whispering his name in pleasure, to hold her close and make her feel better. To take her far away from her stupid father, and especially, from Rogers.

But then there is also darkness lurking in his heart, a whispering voice urging him to hurt her before she can hurt him.

A longing for blood. Her blood?

He shakes his head at that, his heart starting to beat faster as he tries to calm his racing thoughts. The longer he thinks about this stuff, the harder it is to come back to reality. He feels something start to pull at his mind, promising to reveal so much, and he doesn't want to find out what will happen if he gives in to the pull.

It is tempting as hell though.

Sighing heavily, he rubs his forehead.

Was he going insane?

* * *

"Stop!" Eleanor screams to her dark room, shooting up in bed with tears in her eyes, her heart beating wildly.

She looks around her room, breathless.

Covering her eyes with her hands, she tries hard to banish the sight of Charles being hanged from her mind.

She had almost spent a week without the nightmare, but looks like it is back now.

So is her self hatred and guilt.

She's trembling, reaching for her phone, wanting to talk to someone. The blonde pauses as she remembers she had a fight with Max, and her pride doesn't let her call her friend.

She sighs, turning her cellphone on anyway, her heart skipping a beat as she sees a message from an unknown number.

_Could it be?_

She quickly opens the message, frustration and anger flowing through her as she realizes it's from Rogers. Not even bothering to read it, she turns her phone off again and hugs her knees to her chest.

She just can't forget the nightmare. The sight of his body spasming as he hangs.

Choking out a sob, she feels a tear run down her left cheek.

It's too much.

The nightmare already made her feel horrible before, but now, after the past few days, after meeting Charles? It's a thousand times worse.

_What have I done?_

The thought runs through her mind, making her frown in confusion.

Lately when she gets distracted and starts to think about her nightmares, self hatred and Charles, there's a sort of pull on her mind.

And right now, for a moment she feels like there's an influx of memories coming over her, as she stares at the wall in front of her with a distant look in her eyes.

For a split second she's almost remembering so many things, so many important things.

But then they are suddenly pulled away from her reach, and her head starts to ache while she tries hard to remember again, but it's no use, as everything she was almost remembering feel more and more foggy and far away with each passing second.

A frustrated whine escapes her before she gasps, feeling a sharp pain on her stomach, making it hard to breathe.

Panic sets in as she jumps out of bed, running to turn her bedroom lights on.

Looking down at her stomach, she half expects to find it bleeding for some reason, due to the pain. But all she sees is her bithmark.

A birthmark that looks more like a scar. She stares down at the light red line. It looks as if someone had slashed her stomach open with a blade.

As the pain starts to fade, she remembers the last time she had been at Max and Idelle's place, after they smoked and Idelle had started going on and on about reincarnation.

_"They say that unusual birthmarks indicate the way you died on a past life. They can also be the reflection of any serious wounds you may have suffered."_

Touching her birthmark, she remembers when she was a child, how her father used to say she had to hide it, because it was an imperfection.

What would he say today, if he saw the various scars she had on her thighs?

Speaking of them...

She eyes her bathroom door, thinking about the blades she keeps hidden in there.

Her hands itch with the urge to lock herself in there and add more cuts to her collection, nightmare still fresh in her mind, the sight of Charles' spasming body making her heart ache as her guilt and self hatred attack.

But with a strength she didn't know she possessed, Eleanor gets her robe, putting it on as she heads out her bedroom door, wanting to put as much distance as she can between herself and the blades.

She soon finds herself in the sitting room downstairs, looking out at the main pool area, her eyes glued to the spot where Charles had been hiding when she found him.

She just wants to see him again, so much. To make sure he's okay, that his heart is beating. She feels this is the only way to banish the sight of his dying body from her mind.

What is happening to her?

A light flashes in her face and she raises her hand to block it, her eyes protesting.

As it lowers, she notices it was Mr. Sott's flashlight. He frowns, probably wondering what she's doing out of bed at almost 5 in the morning.

He probably sees in her eyes that she's not okay, his face softening as he points to the glass door.

She nods, going over to the door and unlocking it, stepping outside.

"Night terrors?" He asks, his eyes full of worry for her.

"Yes. And nightmares."

"Was it the man being hanged again?"

She nods quietly, looking at the pool. When she was a child, there was one night she got too scared because of the nightmare, and knowing that Richard would only get angry if she went to him, she went in search of the only person she trusted, Mr. Scott. She still remembers that night clearly, how he acted like a father, doing his best to comfort her 8 year old self, while she told him all about the nightmare. She remembers his words

_"You can cry if you want to. You're just 8 years old, Eleanor. You're allowed to cry when you have a nightmare, just like any other child."_

But she didn't. Even as a child, she refused to cry in front of others.

And now, almost 15 years later, things haven't changed, Mr. Scott offering her comfort after her nigthmare.

He sighs. "You should really try to find out what this means, Eleanor. To me, it's clear that there's something about your past you need to make peace with, or the nightmares will never leave you alone."

"I was only five when they started. What could a 5 year old girl have possibly done?"

He smiles softly. "I'm not talking about this life, my dear."

Oh, that's right. Mr. Scott also believes in the whole reincarnation thing.

He and his daughter are adepts of the religion called spiritism.

Honestly, Eleanor always thought it's weird, but of course she never told them that, wanting to respect their beliefs.

"I know I already invited you, but I will do it again. If you want, i can take you to try doing a past life regression. There is this place that holds weekly meetings, Madi and I always go. You can come with us. Your father will never know. Maybe you'll be able to find answers. Do you want to?"

Yes. A voice inside her head says, and she's surprised as she realizes she actually wants to go.

"Thank you, but I'm alright."

"Well, the invitation stands. If you ever change your mind, all you have to do is tell me."

She nods, offering him a small smile.

"I heard you had a fight with Richard. Is everything okay?"

"Ugh. No. Far from okay. He wants me to marry Rogers. Says if i don't, he will forbid me from doing anything related to the Trading Company."

"Then let him. Let's see how long this Company will last without you." He says and she smiles. "But please, Eleanor. Don't get closer to that man. I feel there's something about him. He's just... Not right for you. I'm just trying to protect you."

"You don't have to worry. I have no intentions of getting closer to him." She says and he nods.

"I'm relieved. Are you feeling better?"

"A bit. Thank you." She says, a yawn escaping her. Scott smiles.

"You should go back to bed, my dear."

"I will. Thank you. For this conversation."

"I'll always be here for you. Just call if you need anything. And don't worry about this whole thing with Rogers and your father, alright? Everything will be okay. I promise." She smiles, moving to hug him.

His hand cradles the back of her head, just as it had so many times before, especially when she was a child. The way a caring father hugs his daughter.

The way her father had never hugged her.

* * *

3 days later, and the knife still rests on the same spot on his bedside table.

He remembers Eleanor saying that she would go out for drinks with her friend this weekend. He had to make sure she got the knife back before that. So she would be able to defend herself if something happened.

He gets out of his room, and an all too familiar "Fuck you, Jack!" comes from Anne, as the little brute throws open the curtain of their room and storms out the front door, not even sparing a glance in Charles' way.

He looks back at Jack as he emerges from behind the curtain, sighing heavily.

"She never listens to me!"

"Where is she going?"

Jack opens his mouth to reply but then Anne throws the front door open with a murderous look on her face, holding her helmet as she walks towards Charles.

"Why is there a fucking blonde strand of hair in my helmet, Charles?"

He looks at her. Anne has red hair, but for hunts she wears a blonde wig as a disguise, since her natural hair color would draw too much attention to her.

Right now, she's not wearing the wig, and the look on her face could make a grown man run screaming for his life.

"It's probably from the wig, Anne."

"Bullshit. The last time I wore the helmet, I wasn't wearing the wig! And this is not the same tone as the strands from it!"

Jack frowns, coming over to Anne so he could see the strand of hair.

"Charles, she's right. This is too light to be from the wig. What have you been up to?"

"I'll tell what he's been up to. He's been seeing that Guthrie bitch!" Anne says with disgust in her eyes.

"Is Eleanor Guthrie the only blonde in LA?"

Charles asks, his temper flaring.

An angry smirk comes to Anne's lips as she looks around the place, her fingers twitching against the helmet.

"Dis you pick up a blonde while we were gone?" Jack asks.

"I did, but this isn't your fucking business!"

Jack holds up his hands.

"Jesus. Between you and Anne, I'll end up going insane." He shakes his head, looking at the angry redhead beside him "You see, darling? The strand must be from the girl Charles picked up."

Anne ignores him, looking Charles in the eyes with a presumptuous look.

"What was her name?" She asks simply, angry smirk still in place.

This catches Charles off guard, but he's quick to react.

"Chelsea, I think. I was drunk."

Anne looks at Jack. "Is he lying?"

He frowns, looking at Charles for a second before replying "No. I don't think so."

Anne snorts, storming out of the place again and the two men wait as they hear the motorcycle speed out of the garage downstairs.

When he's sure that she's gone, Jack sighs, watching as Charles lights up a cigarette.

"Charles, how long have we known each other?"

"A long time. Since the orphanage."

"That's right. And after such a long time, you know I developed a way of knowing when you're lying about something. And I know that whoever that strand of hair belongs to, her name is not Chelsea."

Charles watches him with a bored look on his face.

"I didn't want Anne to get angrier and start a fight, that's why I didn't say this in front of her. But now that she's gone, please tell me the truth. Please tell me you're not seeing the Guthrie girl, Charles."

"I'm not seeing her. It was just once."

Jack sighs, rubbing his forehead.

"What happened?"

"I saw her walking the streets at night alone, and an idiot showed up, tried to force her to go inside his car. She was having trouble defending herself and I went to help. Turns out she recognized me from the mansion. So I took her to one of our other hideouts for the night to make sure she would keep her mouth shut."

"And?" Jack asks cautiously as Charles takes a drag of the cigarette.

"In the end we were able to find some common ground. She was angry at Woodes Rogers because her stupid ass of a father is trying to force her to marry him. So since she hates the law enforcement manager, I let her go the next day, trusting she wouldn't tell anyone about me. And for now, looks like she didn't."

Jack sighs. "You haven't seen her again after that?"

"No, Jack. I haven't." Charles says in an angry voice.

"And what happened between you two? Did you sleep with her?"

"No."

"Why?"

"She was fucking drunk, Jack! Why do you care?"

"Alright, alright. I'll stop asking questions. But can you promise me you won't see her again?"

He wants to say yes. But he frowns as he realizes that would be a lie. And Jack would probably notice it. So he finishes the cigarette, choosing simply to say "Fuck off, Jack.", before putting on his leather jacket and walking out the door, leaving his friend alone in the place.

"We're screwed." Jack says with a sigh.

* * *

That night, Eleanor prepares for bed with a heavy heart. All she wants is to know if Charles is okay. The sight of his dying body won't leave her alone and she's afraid of going to sleep. Afraid to have the nightmare again.

Holding back tears, she opens the door to her balcony and steps outside, looking at the stars. What could she do to feel better? She just wanted a sign that he was okay.

She looks at the stars for a long time, then goes back inside. For some reason she leaves the curtains of the balcony's glass door open, wanting to let the moonlight illuminate the room. Still forcing herself not to cry, she lays down in bed and closes her eyes, hoping there will be no nightmares tonight.

* * *

Charles stares at the balcony for a while, feeling the weight of the knife in his jacket's pocket.

He had come to the mansion, wanting to find a way to return Eleanor's knife without having to see her. He had no idea how he would do this, but then, as he circled the mansion hidden in the shadows, he saw her coming out on a balcony.

The sad look on her face as she watched the stars made his heart heavy. He wanted to go to her, to take whatever was causing her pain away.

When she went back inside, he realized that was probably her room.

There. Now he knew how he could return the knife.

Charles waited for a while, and when he was sure she was asleep, he went to a tree beside the wall and climbed it, easily breaking into the mansion grounds again.

After checking for cameras and security men, he looked around the place.

Eleanor's balcony overlooked a pool area, but this one was secluded and smaller than the one where she had seen him.

A staircase led to a small gate, probably connected to the rest of the mansion, and he also saw an alcove with an elevator in the corner.

The pool had a covered area, and he could see that the statue of a big seashell adorned the end of it.

Climbing up to Eleanor's balcony, Charles left the knife on the railing, taking out the pen and piece of paper he had brought with him to write a quick note, putting it under the knife before giving into the temptation and looking inside the room through the glass door.

What a huge mistake.

The sight he was greeted with made his heart skip a beat.

Eleanor was sleeping on her side, facing the balcony's door with a peaceful look on her perfect face.

Her deep and calm breathing has Charles entranced as he watches her, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene.

He wants to get inside the room and touch her face.

His hand goes to the doorknob before he realizes what he's doing and he stops immediately, getting a grip of himself and pulling his hand back.

Stealing one last look at the sleeping beauty inside, he sighs, turning to climb down to the pool area again, quickly leaving the mansion grounds.

* * *

Eleanor wakes up with a start. She heard something outside. Going over to the balcony door to make sure it was locked, she catches sight of something on the railing. Frowning, she unlocks the door and steps out to check it.

Her heart skips a beat when she realizes it's her knife. There's a small note underneath and she takes the knife in her hand while she reads it.

_"Wouldn't want to leave you unable to defend yourself. But really, learn how to use this thing._

_-C."_

A smile plays on her lips as her fingers dance over his calligraphy. It's so familiar.

The image of the words "I angered Charles Vane" written in the same way as the words from the note flashes through her mind for a second.

Shaking her head, she looks around the pool area below, wanting to see if he was still here. But of course he wasn't.

Folding the note and holding the knife in her hand, Eleanor looks at the stars, a sense of relief washing over her and she can't help the small laugh that escapes her lips.


	8. Conflicted

It's been six weeks. Six long and painful weeks since Charles left the knife on her balcony.

She sighs, trying to focus on her work, thankful to have the Trading Company business to help distract her. But sometimes not even that works.

Closing her notebook, Eleanor leans back on the chair of her father's office, rubbing her forehead. She's just so exhausted.

The past few weeks have been awful. She couldn't sleep, her nightmares were getting worse, and the night terrors also plagued her non-stop.

At least she wasn't cutting.

The door opens and she looks up to see her father walk in.

He looks at her in a disapproving way, frowning.

"You have to do something about your eyes, Eleanor. It looks like you haven't slept in years."

"I'm not sleeping too well."

"Why?"

"Do you even care?" She asks, rolling her eyes "I have nightmares, father. You know that. I've been having them my whole life."

"What are your nightmares about?" A third voice asks from outside the office and Eleanor feels her skin crawl as her father looks back with a smile, while Rogers makes his way inside.

"Maybe you just need someone to talk to?" He says and she has to fight the urge to roll her eyes again.

"I already talk about them with my friend, thank you. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" She asks with a sarcastic smile, ignoring the hard look from her father.

But Rogers smiles at this, his eyes not leaving her. "I was hoping maybe you would want to join me for lunch?"

"I told him you didn't have any plans today, Eleanor. It will be good for you to get out of this mansion for a while." Her father says, the look in his eyes a clear warning.

She considers her options.

What she wants to do is tell both Rogers and her father a big "fuck you", then go to her room to get some rest.

But she's sure that this would only cause trouble, and her father would forbid her from managing the family business.

So maybe she could play along for now? Just until she could find a solution to this whole situation.

It wouldn't hurt her to spend a couple hours with Rogers, would it?

"Of course. Just give me a minute so I can get ready."

Surprise flickers through her father's eyes for a second but he's quick to hide it, looking between her and Rogers.

"Yes, yes, take your time. I will wait for you."

* * *

 

"Idelle, where the hell did you leave the shirt you borrowed from me?" Max calls as she comes out of the bedroom, looking at her room mate as she sits on their couch.

"The wardrobe? I'm pretty sure I left it there."

Max sighs, going back into the bedroom to check. Finding the shirt, she quickly puts it on, heading back to sit with her room mate on the couch.

"Did you make peace with our blonde pain in the ass?"

"You talking about Eleanor?" She asks and Idelle nods. "Yeah. She texted me and said she was feeling better now. It was my fault. I shouldn't have said that thing about her father."

"You were just worried about her. But let her live, Max. It's not like her to have random one night stands, I'm glad she's enjoying life a bit now."

"I just feel like she's hiding something from me. I don't know."

"She's been weird lately, you're right. But i think it's just stress. Don't worry. She's been going through a lot. It's normal."

"Yeah... I hope you're right." Max sighs.

* * *

 

"You two have a good time together." Richard says with a smile as he watches Rogers and Eleanor walking to the man's silver Range Rover. He holds the door open for her and she gets in.

As she looks at her father, what she sees makes her stop for a second in disbelief.

There is such a sincere look in his eyes.

Gratitude.

He's clearly happy about this. She can't remember the last time he looked at her like this.

Her heart warms up as he smiles at her.

Not sarcastic or fake like the ones he always gives her. No. A pure, genuine and loving smile.

Eleanor can't believe her own eyes as she sees what she always wanted from him; Approval.

She smiles back at him as Rogers gets on the driver's seat before starting the car.

While they drive off, she thinks about what just happened. Her emotions are conflicted as she steals a glance at Rogers. He's good looking, and a real gentleman despite the way he sees women.

Would it hurt to get to know him? Would it hurt to spend some time with him?

If she does, will her father be approving of her like that more often? Will he be a real father for her?

Her thoughts are racing as she look out the window. Mr. Scott and Max would be so disappointed with her. She had promised them she wouldn't get closer to Rogers.

But now, she wonders if she might have to break the promises.

Should she choose her father's approval or her friends who have been supporting her though her depression for years while Richard never cared?

Frowning, she feels like she had to make that choice once before. Choosing between her father's approval or...

What?

Charles' face flashes though her mind and she feels a pang in her heart.

Would he find out if she got closer to Rogers? Would he be angry?

She shouldn't care about what he thought. But it hurts to think about him right now. She was in denial for the first 4 weeks, but now Eleanor admits it to herself: She misses Charles.

The brief time they spent together made her feel so good. She wanted to see him again.

And again, and again.

Knowing it was impossible, she tries forcing herself not to think about him anymore.

Easier said than done.

* * *

The motorcycle speeds off through the streets of LA while Jack holds to Anne's waist, praying they will arrive at their destination quickly.

She's completely reckless with this thing. He wonders how the hell she never suffered an accident.

As they stop at a red light, Jack glances at the silver Range Rover by their side, a snicker escaping him when he sees who's inside. Tapping Anne's shoulder to get her attention, he gestures towards the car's window. The redhead makes a disgusted face when she sees Eleanor Guthrie inside, but then her expression changes and as soon as the traffic light turns green again she speeds off, changing their route and catching Jack by surprise. He doesn't know what she's doing, but it's like she's trying to run away from someone.

Soon Anne stops the motorcycle in front of one of their hideouts, not saying a word as she goes inside, a confused Jack following her and asking what was going on.

Finally she stops, looking at him.

"Did you see who was in that car with the blonde bitch?"

"No. Who was it?"

"Woodes fucking Rogers, Jack!"

"Are you sure?"

Anne was seething with anger. During the past few weeks, she had eventually found out about Charles' encounter with Eleanor, and how he believed she wouldn't say anything because she claimed to hate Rogers.

"That fucking bitch will put a target on his back, Jack!"

"We have to tell Charles. Shit. I knew nothing good would come out of this. Come on, darling. We have to get to him, and quick."

* * *

This time, Rogers tried to talk about other stuff in an attempt of having a more pleasant conversation than the one they had at the party.

They talked about Eleanor's childhood, what she liked to do and her favorite movies.

She saw when he tried to make it look like he was worried about her nightmares and depression issues.

"You said you were having nightmares? What are they about?"

"I've had them my whole life. It's a man being hanged. I have no idea what it means."

He frowns. "My ex wife used to have nightmares because of a horror movie she saw during her childhood. Maybe you saw a man being hanged in a movie when you were little?"

"I'm not easily impressed. Never was. Not even when I was a child. So I don't think that's what happened."

"Changing the subject a bit, I heard you have issues with depression. How is that?" He asks, giving her his full attention.

She has to admit, he's a good actor, sounding genuinely worried about her well being. But he can't fool her.

"I learned how to deal with it by myself over the years. I'm alright." She lies.

"You shouldn't have to deal with it alone. If you want to talk about it, I'm here." He says with a smile.

She forces a smile too, nodding at him.

His phone rings and he excuses himself to answer the call, leaving her alone at the table for a short while.

This isn't so bad. She's not so bored, like she was at the party.

Still, there's something off about him. Something that makes her uncomfortable.

And what the fuck is this? While talking to Rogers, she has the feeling she knows him from somewhere.

When he returns to the table, she notices a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Did something happen?"

He sighs, smiling at her. "Just the usual. We're having some trouble. I'm sure you heard about that criminal trio that no one is able to find?" She nods and he continues "Well, they've been on a crime spree the past couple of weeks. It's giving me hell. It's already personal by now, I have to find a way to catch them."

"Good luck with that." She says and he chuckles.

"So. Thank you for accepting my invitation. I was afraid you would tell me to get 'the fuck out' again."

"I was thinking you wouldn't want anything with me after that."

"You are an intriguing woman, Eleanor. I must say, my interest is piqued. You're not like the other women of the high society. Not to mention, your beauty is drawing me in like a moth to a flame. So I really want to get to know you better, get closer to you. I just hope you'll let me."

She watches him for a moment.

"We'll see about that." She says and he smiles.

* * *

"Charles!" Anne calls as she and Jack come running into the hideout, a serious and urgent look on their faces.

Charles instantly gets into battle mode, thinking they might have been found somehow.

"What is it?"

"Listen, I want you to keep calm, okay? Please don't have a fit and control your temper." Jack says as Anne rolls her eyes beside him. "Because if you do it will only be worse for-"

"We saw your dear Guthrie bitch in a car with Rogers." Anne interrupts him.

Charles is silent for a moment, the resentment he feels towards Eleanor spreading through him like fire. He looks at Jack.

"Is it true?"

He sighs.

"Unfortunately yes, Charles. Looks like she lied to you about hating him."

Clenching his jaw, Charles yanks his helmet out of Jack's hands, storming out the door.

"Charles, wait! What are you gonna do? Don't go after her, Charles!" Jack yells as he and Anne follow their angry leader downstairs to the garage area.

"Fuck off, Jack!" He snaps before putting on his helmet and getting on the motorcycle.

"Don't go after her! It will be a disaster!"

"I won't go after her! Just need to get out of this fucking place. Don't expect me back too soon." He growls, speeding out of the garage.

* * *

Rogers opens the door of the Range Rover for Eleanor, going with her to the front door of the mansion.

"I had a good time with you. Maybe we could do this more often." He says with a smile.

"Maybe." She nods, her hand going to the doorknob. She was starting to get anxious, having had enough of being alone with him.

"Thank you for lunch." She says as he takes her free hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it lightly while keeping his eyes locked with hers.

_Idiot_.

"It was my pleasure. Remember what I said, if you want to talk to someone about your depression, feel free to text or call me. You have my number. Oh, and please, try to get some rest, my dear. You look exhausted." He says, faking concern. Again.

"I will. See you, Rogers." She forces a smile, going inside the mansion and closing the door behind her.

Eleanor leans against the door, exhaling deeply, instantly relieved to be alone.

Hearing the Range Rover speed off, she starts the walk back to her room.

When she walks by her father's office door, she hears him call her name and pauses, turning around to head inside.

"Did it hurt you to spend some time with him?" He asks from his place behind the desk as she walks to one of the windows, looking out at the gardens.

"No." Eleanor answers, hearing her father get up from his chair and come over to stand beside her.

"I know I'm distant. But I only want what's best for you. You made me really happy today, Eleanor."

Her heart warms up at that, and she's surprised at his words. Glancing at him for a moment, she feels tears come to her eyes. "You are a smart young woman, and I know that despite your rebellious ways, you will see that Rogers is perfect for you. And you will make me so proud when I walk with you to the altar to give you away."

His words cause panic to set in her stomach and she wants to run, to scream at him. But then she feels one of his hands hesitantly make its way to her shoulder.

Was this really happening?

The tears threaten to run down her face when her father puts his arm around her, and she looks at his hand for a moment then sighs as she lays her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, a smile refusing to leave her face.

In this moment, Eleanor feels like a lost little girl who had just found a home.

* * *

As the moon illuminates the city, Charles looks out the window of one of their hideouts while he smokes, trying to get a grip on his conflicting emotions.

Now that the initial rage had mostly passed, he started thinking more clearly.

He didn't think Eleanor had told Rogers about him. Or else he was sure the idiot would have already gone after him by now.

Had she really lied to him? A lot could have happened during the past few weeks. Maybe she actually hated Rogers, but he managed to worm his way inside her heart somehow.

The thought causes Charles to clench his jaw in anger.

He still thinks he has to make sure she'll keep her mouth shut about him. Better to be safe than sorry. Finishing his cigarette, he grabs his helmet and walks out the door.

* * *

Later that night, back at the mansion, Eleanor walks the corridors aimlessly, deep in thought.

What would she do now? Could she bring herself to refuse Rogers after what happened today with her father? Would she have to live trapped in a loveless marriage in order to have the approval and affection she had always wanted from him?

The thought makes her heart clench and despair start to spread through her.

No. She would find another way. She wouldn't marry Rogers.

She couldn't.

Finding herself at the door of the elevator, she gets in, wanting to go to the secluded pool area below her balcony. It's her favorite place to think.

When the elevator stops and Eleanor steps out, she leans against the wall of the alcove, sighing deeply

"What am I going to do?" She asks to the darkness, before walking to the edge of the pool.

That's when a sound comes from behind her, making her heart skip a beat as she turns around.

There's someone in here.

Startled to see the outline of a man in the dark, she loses her footing, falling into the pool with a short scream, and whoever the person was, he tried to keep her from falling but ended up in the water with her.

Before she can try to scream for the security, the deep voice that's been haunting her dreams for the past few weeks comes from the man.

"Why the hell do you need more than one pool?"

"Charles?" She asks in confusion. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I heard from a very reliable source that you were in Woodes Rogers' car this afternoon. Is it true?"

"Yes! Why do you care?"

"I care because the only reason I let you go that day was because you said you hated him. And now you're getting close to him? How much longer until you tell him that I broke into your mansion? How much longer until the police comes after me?"

"It's not like that! I do hate him, but I had to go out with him for lunch today, or else I would have to deal with a lot of bullshit from my father. I had no choice, Charles." She explains, realizing that their bodies were a bit too close and taking a step back in the water to put some space between them, even though her body urges her to stay close to him.

"I see. Did you say anything about me?" He asks and she shakes her head.

"I won't tell him about you. I don't like him, why would I do anything to help him?"

"That's unusual, you know." Charles ignores her question and she frowns.

"What's unusual?"

"I thought that all you high society people cared about was status, money and all that shit. You have a nice opportunity here. And yet you refuse Rogers." He says with a mocking tone, stepping closer to her in the water.

Annoyance sparks in her chest and she lifts her chin at him.

"I don't need him. I earn my own money, and I don't give a damn about status."

The chuckle that comes from him makes her shiver and he brings his hand to brush her hair behind her ear, his thumb caressing her face as his hand lingers there.

"Looks like you're one of a kind, then... Princess." He says the nickname with a smirk, wanting to see if he could make her angry.

He's so close to her that Eleanor can feel his warm breath on the skin of her face, a mix of annoyance and lust spreading through her.

What a familiar feeling.

She sees a challenging look in his eyes and something inside her snaps.

It feels like the most natural thing in the world as she grabs his face with both hands, surprise flickering through his eyes for a second before she closes the small distance between them, pressing her lips to his in an angry kiss.

It only takes half a second for Charles to respond, wrapping his arms around Eleanor's waist and pulling her flush against him as he starts to walk them towards the big column at the beginning of the pool's covered area.

Pressing her body against it, his hands move under her shirt as the kiss grows more heated with each passing second.

It's almost as if they've done this countless times before, the passion and desire so familiar to both of them.

For some reason she feels emotional, like a long lost part of her has just been returned.

And she never wants to let it go again.

Her arms tighten around his shoulders as her legs come up to wrap around his hips, needing him closer, unable to get enough of his touch, of  _him_.

_It's never enough._

He responds by deepening the kiss, his tongue caressing hers while one of his hands slowly starts to travel towards her chest underneath her shirt.

Her brain is foggy with excitement, desire and a deep sense of déjà vu.

She wants more.

The blonde gasps when his exploring hand finds one of her breasts and he starts to trail kisses along her neck, occasionally biting softly into her flesh.

She feels like her skin is on fire, tangling her hands in his hair, wanting him to keep going, her breath coming out ragged, mouth parted and eyes closed in pleasure.

She never wants him to stop.

But a sudden noise from the direction of the small gate near the pool makes them pause and they see the illumination of a flashlight.

"Fuck. Quick, get under the water and behind the column!" She instructs, her legs dropping from around his hips and he kisses the corner of her mouth quickly before letting go of her and diving below the water.

Instantly feeling the loss of his body against hers, she controls her breathing, adjusting her shirt and hoping her face isn't as flushed as it feels.

Mr. Scott appears at the small gate of the pool area, pointing the flashlight at Eleanor with a confused frown on his face.

She smiles at him, hoping he won't come over and question her decision of going for a night swim. And with clothes on.

If he does, he'll be able to see Charles.

But relief washes over her as his face softens, and he offers her a loving smile before turning around and going back to his work, leaving the pool area in darkness again.

She turns back towards the column slowly, her eyes glued to the gate as Charles surfaces, taking a deep breath.

She moves to stand in front of him behind the column, his arms coming around her form as he pulls her closer.

"That man is like a father to me. If he catches you here, he'll kill you." Eleanor says in a quiet tone, causing Charles to chuckle briefly.

"I'd die a happy man." He jokes and images of his dead body from her nightmares after the hanging flash through her mind.

"Please don't talk about dying." She sounds sad, even vulnerable, and his heart clenches for her, the urge to take her away from this place washing over him.

Touching his forehead to hers, he wonders briefly what the hell is going on.

Neither of them understands what is happening between them at this swimming pool. All they know is that this is right and familiar, and that they don't want to be away from each other.

Charles slowly spins them in lazy circles in the water while Eleanor's legs wrap around his hips again, her hands tangling in his hair as she breathes deeply, eyes closed and a small smile tugging at the right corner of her lips.

He watches her, entranced, neither of them caring about how cold the water is and how reckless this whole situation is.

With a slight shake of her head, she leans forward, resting her head on his shoulder, barely keeping her nose above the water.

But after a few seconds she pulls back, looking up to meet his eyes, her breath catching as she sees the instense way he's looking at her.

"It's late." She says in a whisper and he nods.

"Around 2 in the morning."

She looks at him, a curious look on her face.

"How do you know?"

"By looking at the sky."

Eleanor raises an eyebrow at him.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"You have no idea, Miss Guthrie."

He smirks darkly, leaning in to trail kisses along her collarbone, pressing his hips to hers, wanting to hear more of her delicious breathy moans.

He's rewarded with a whispered "Fuck." from her, something about this refined woman speaking in such a language driving him wild.

"I should get back inside... the security men, they check around this place sometimes, it's not... not safe for you to stay here..." She says between breathy gasps, voice filled with desire, pulling on his hair to make him lift his head up from her collarbone. He growls in protest but then she's kissing him, and Charles walks them backwards to the column again, an idea forming in his brain. He breaks the kiss, bringing a hand up to hold her chin, looking her in the eyes.

"Fuck, I don't... Don't really want this to stop." Eleanor tells him in a whisper.

"You go back inside. Go to your room. And I'll be waiting for you on your balcony. I climbed up to it before." His voice is even deeper with desire, and heat pools low in her belly, a shiver going down her spine at his next words. "Then you open the door for me and I'll make you forget your own fucking name." He says, leaning forward to bite her earlobe.

She wants to come up with a smart retort but her brain is too foggy with lust, a moan escaping her.

A breathy "Yes" is all she manages to give him, dropping her shaking legs from his hips and turning around, heading for the pool ladder.

But she only takes four steps before Charles is on her again, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her to him and kissing her shoulder.

She gasps, turning around in his arms to kiss him, while slowly walking back towards the ladder, pulling him with her, not breaking their kiss.

Eleanor feels like nothing else matters in this moment, happiness spreading through her body as her problems feel far, far away.

Her ever present self hatred is srangely absent, and she feels like a different person with Charles. A stronger person.

It's as if he awakens a part of her that's been asleep for a really, really long time.

And she loves it.

Finnaly reaching the ladder, she pulls herself up on it, still facing him as her upper body comes out of the water, and her eyes fall closed in delight as Charles uses the opportunity to move his lips lower, his teeth grazing her breasts through her wet bra and shirt, while his hands come to her thighs.

This makes some of the fog in her brain clear.

The cuts.

The scars.

She had completely forgotten about them.

What would he think? Maybe if she left the lights off he wouldn't be able to see them?

All worries leave her mind when one of his hands slide to the inside of her thighs and she gasps in anticipation of his touch, her hands on his hair to hold him in place as he continues to graze his teeth on her chest.

But before he can do anything else, Mr Scott's voice sounds from the direction of the small gate, calling her name in the distance.

"Eleanor? Are you still at the pool?"

Panic fills her eyes as she and Charles look at each other for a second, both rushing to get out of the pool as she clears her throat, hoping her voice won't come out breathy.

"Yeah, I... Just a minute!" She calls, watching in amazement as he rushes up the staircase, using the railing as leverage and jumping up on the wall, holding to the branches of the tree located next to it outside the mansion before disappearing behind the wall in a matter of seconds.

Just in time, as Mr. Scott appears at the small gate, holding a towel and one of Eleanor's jackets.

"I took the liberty of using my keys to go into your room to retrieve these." Scott says, coming over and putting the towel around her shoulders. "You're freezing, my dear." He says in a concerned voice.

"Thanks." She says, wrapping the towel around her body and doing her best to dry some of the water before giving him the towel again so she could put on her jacket, only now realizing how cold it was. "I was just trying to clear my head a bit. I couldn't sleep."

Scott offers her a gentle smile, his heart aching for his little girl having to go through so much.

"But I feel tired now. Maybe I can sleep for a few hours."

"Take a hot bath first, alright? I don't want you to get sick." He says and she nods, walking towards the alcove to get into the elevator.

When Eleanor makes it back to her room, she quickly unlocks her balcony's door, part of her holding on to the hope that Charles is still around.

Stepping out to scan the pool area as best as she could in the dark, she calls his name once, twice.

Nothing.

Of course he wouldn't take such a risk. He's not stupid. He's probably far away from the mansion by now.

Sighing, she goes back inside her room, closing the glass door.

His touch still lingers, making her skin tingle and her body is still hot with desire.

Eleanor groans. There's no way she'll be able to get any sleep tonight.

* * *

As he makes it back to the hideout, Charles takes his helmet off, going up the staircase and unlocking the front door.

His clothes are still a bit wet from the pool as he makes his way to his room, a rustling sound catching his attention and making him pause as he looks over to the curtain of Jack and Anne's room, seeing his friend holding part of it open as he watches Charles with a knowing look in his sleepy eyes.

"Yes. I saw her. And it's none of your business, Jack." He growls, going inside the door of his room.

Jack releases the curtain, letting it fall closed again as he turns to the bed, watching Anne sleep peacefully for a moment.

"We're screwed." He mumbles.

Rubbing his forehead, he sighs heavily as he gets into bed again, slowly wrapping his arms around Anne, careful not to wake the redhead.

She snuggles into his chest in her sleep as he caresses her hair, watching her face and enjoying the rare chance to see his little brute like this.

Peaceful. Relaxed.

"No matter what's coming our way... I will keep you safe, Anne. I promise." He whispers, dropping a kiss to the top of her head before closing his eyes, falling into a restless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, Mr. Scott!
> 
> The pool scene was inspired by one of my favorite movies ever: Romeo + Juliet. The 1996 movie. I just love it.
> 
> And also, the pool area below Eleanor's balcony is actually pretty much the same one from the Capulet Mansion, in case anyone is having trouble picturing it ;)


	9. Memories

Eleanor stares at the ceiling of her room as the sun rises outside. As predicted, she was unable to sleep at all after what happened at the swimming pool. Sighing, she gets out of bed, heading to her balcony's door. She had left it unlocked, part of her hoping that Charles would come back.

He didn't.

Stepping outside, she looks down at the pool area to make sure they did not leave behind anything unusual that could give them away.

Her eyes drift to the water, the pool ladder, and memories of what happened there between her and Charles dance in her head, causing her heart to skip a beat as a shiver runs down her spine.

Shaking her head, the blonde goes back inside to get ready for the day before checking her phone.

Rolling her eyes at a good morning text from Rogers, she looks at the other one.

"Max: Call me. I need to talk to you."

Frowning, she calls her friend, sitting on the bed.

"What is it, did something happen?" She asks as the other woman answers the call.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"What do you mean?"

"Eleanor, you've been acting weird for the past few weeks, and I'm worried, alright? I just know that something happened to you. Why won't you talk to me about it? You know you can trust me, right?"

"I'm just dealing with too much stress lately, Max, that's all. Don't worry about it."

"You are lying! I know you well, I always know when you're hiding something from me!"

Eleanor sighs, considering her options. Could she tell her about Charles? Wouldn't that be a betrayal?

"I... met someone, okay?"

_Silence._

"Max?"

"Who? Please tell me you're not developing feelings for Rogers."

"God, no. Don't worry about that."

"Is it the man you met that night after the party?"

She hears Idelle gasp in the background.

"She met someone? Finally! Put her on speaker!"

"No!" Both Max and Eleanor say at the same time.

"Give us a moment, will you?" The blonde hears her friend say.

"Fine, fine." Idelle's voice says in an annoyed tone, followed by the sound of a door closing.

"Alright, she's gone. Now answer me."

"Yes. It's the man I met that night. Are you happy?"

"What's his name?"

"Look, I really have to go, okay? My father is waiting for me. I'll call you later."

"Elea-"

She doesn't let Max finish, hanging up and turning off her phone.

* * *

"Where is he?"

Jack asks as he lifts the curtain, coming out of his and Anne's room.

"He left. 'Bout an hour ago." The redhead says from her place at the couch.

"Where to?"

"He didn't say."

"Shit."

"I don't like this."

"I know, darling. Me neither."

"No, Jack. I really don't like this. Something about this whole situation with the Guthrie bitch..."

"We'll figure this whole thing out, alright? Nothing will happen to us. We've been through worse." He says, not sure if he believes his own words.

And judging by the look on Anne's face, she doesn't believe him either.

* * *

Finding her father at the breakfast table, Eleanor goes over to her seat while he watches her. His smile is brief and hesitant, but at least that's something.

"Do you have plans for this weekend?" He asks and she feels hope spark in her chest. Was he planning to spend time with her?

"Not yet. Why?"

"I have another meeting in New York and-"

"You want me to go with you?" She asks in disbelief.

"Well, not exactly. Rogers called a few minutes ago, he wants to take you out to dinner this Saturday, and spend some time with you."

"Oh. Did you give him an answer?" She asks, trying to hide her disappointment.

"I said I was sure you would love to."

"I don't know... Lately I don't really feel like going out."

"You went to a club with Max last Saturday."

"Because she insisted for days. What if I just go to the meeting with you?"

"No." He answers, a bit too quickly, and forces a smile at her. "It will be better for you to stay here with Rogers. I'll handle the meetings, my dear." He says, getting up from his chair and walking over to her, hesitating before dropping a kiss to her head.

His actions seem mechanical. It's not genuine like when Mr. Scott cradles the back of her head or kisses her forehead.

"Have a good day." Richard says before leaving her alone.

Her heart sinks as she realizes things haven't really changed.

He's not being less distant because he wants to, or because he wants to have a better relationship with her.

He's just trying to manipulate her.

He doesn't want her coming with him to the meeting. He wants her to stay here with Rogers.

He wants her to marry that idiot, that's the only reason why he's trying to act less distant.

This shouldn't be the way a father's relationship with his daughter works.

Tears come to her eyes as she realizes this will be the only way she'll ever have some sort of "love" and affection from him.

Not even touching her breakfast, Eleanor gets up, heading to her father's office with the intention of throwing herself into work, hoping this will be enough to distract her.

* * *

"I see. Alright. Thank you."

The man says into his phone before hanging up, clenching his jaw.

He had hired someone to keep a close eye on Eleanor, and the person had just called to inform him that yesterday she went out on a lunch date with Rogers.

Rubbing his forehead, he sighs heavily, looking out at the sea from the cruise ship.

His only relief was that the person he hired said that she looked slightly uncomfortable and unhappy.

Maybe her father had somehow forced her to spend time with Rogers?

How he wishes he could see her in person again. Memories of her newborn self dance through his mind, causing a small smile to come to his lips as he remembers holding Eleanor in his arms at the hospital shortly after she was born.

There had been no family members there to see her. Her mother had just died during childbirth and Richard was nowhere to be seen.

He blamed his newborn daughter for the death of his wife.

The man remembers the urge he had felt back then, to just take the infant with him, to disappear somewhere with her and raise her as his own.

But as much as he hated the idea of her suffering, he knew this was her karma, that she would have to pay for the things she did.

So he lived close to LA for a few years, occasionally watching Eleanor from afar.

Making sure she was okay.

He had a few pictures he took of her as a child while she walked out of school. The last time he saw her, she had been only 8 years old.

Once he made sure that Mr. Scott would keep working at the Guthrie Mansion, he moved away from the city to travel the world.

He still had his doubts back then, if he had really found Eleanor's reincarnation so easily. But as he did research on her and her father over the years, his doubts slowly vanished. Especially when he saw her most recent pictures on the internet.

He also tried looking for the others over the years. But had no luck.

He just hoped she would not make the same mistakes again.

Or else he really would have to intervene.

* * *

The cigarette isn't enough to calm his nerves. Neither is the alcohol.

Charles shakes his head, sitting on the couch of the hideout he had taken Eleanor to that night.

He wanted to be alone, away from Jack's knowing looks and Anne's accusing glances.

His mind keeps replaying what happened at the swimming pool, and it's taking a huge amount of willpower not to get on the motorcycle and go back to the mansion.

But maybe he should.

He needs to get Eleanor out of his system. All he needs to do is sleep with her, and this little obsession with the blonde will go away.

It has to go away.

But what is he going to do if it doesn't?

"Not a fucking chance. I'll get you out of my head, Princess, one way or another."

There's a pull on his mind again when he says the nickname he gave her. A voice whispering.

She's not a princess. A... Queen?

_Queen of Thieves._

"What the fuck is going on?" He asks himself, closing his eyes. Maybe he should give in to the pull and see what would happen?

Concentrating, he starts to focus on it, knowing somehow that he's supposed to try and remember something.

Suddenly he feels like he's in some sort of trance, his body heavy as a mental image of a crowd appears.

_He sees Eleanor watching him from a distance._

_He's so fucking angry at her, but why?_

_There's something around his neck._

_A rope?_

_As the cart beneath him moves, Charles can't control his own actions, stepping off the edge, the rope strangling him._

He blinks hard, jumping up from the couch as he returns to reality, hand going to his neck. Running to the small bathroom of the hideout, he looks at the mirror, lowering the collar of the leather jacket to stare at his birthmark.

A faded line around his neck.

Frowning, his heart speeds up as he looks at it. It looks like some sort of scar, and right now, it's hurting like hell.

What the fuck does this mean?

* * *

Eleanor gasps sharply, getting up from her father's chair, one hand going to her stomach as the other holds on to the edge of the desk.

With her eyes closed, she tries to breathe through the pain, before lifting her shirt to look at her birthmark.

Why was it hurting again?

Frowning, she closes her eyes once more, and a mental image of someone slashing her stomach open flashes through her mind. Dropping back to the chair, her breathing is heavy as she sees a man holding her in his arms in a strange place, his face full of sadness.

She's dying.

Dying?

_A birthmark indicates how you died on a past life._

Snapping her eyes open, Eleanor finds herself back in her father's office, her heart beating wildly and her breathing heavy.

What just happened?

Was she going insane?

With trembling hands, she pulls out her phone, dialing a number.

"Madi? Is your father home? I need to talk to him."

"Yes. I'll go get him. Just a minute."

"Alright. Thank you."

She waits, sighing and rubbing her forehead.

"What is it, my girl? Are you okay?" Mr. Scott's concerned voice comes from the phone and she lifts her chin, mind made up.

"I want to go. If past lives really exist, I want to find out what happened to me."

There's silence for a moment and then she can practically hear the smile on his voice.

"You're making the right choice. I can take you there next week. We go every wednesday."

"Perfect. Thank you."

"You won't regret it, Eleanor. I promise you."

* * *

"You want to eat something?" Jack asks, frowning when Anne doesn't answer him.

She's been silent the whole day, sitting on the couch with her arms crossed while she stares at a wall.

He sighs, going over to her and touching her shoulders cautiously.

She doesn't snap. That's good.

"Come on, darling. I'm worried about you. You haven't said anything since-"

"I wanna go see the ocean." Her voice cuts him off and he pauses, looking down at her in confusion.

The ocean?

"Why?"

"Don't know. Just want to see it. I miss it."

"You miss it? You've never cared too much about the ocean."

She gets up, heading for the door.

"Alright, alright. Let's go down to the beach and see the ocean." Jack says, starting to follow her.

She stops, giving him a sharp look.

"Do you mind if I come with you?" He asks the redhead and she rolls her eyes, gesturing towards the door anyway and they leave the place together.

* * *

_The crowd gathers around the cart as he says his final words._

_Eleanor is watching from a distance, unable to say anything, as always._

_Unable to stop the hanging._

_But she wants to. She really does._

_The way Charles looks at her is breaking her heart in a million pieces, and it hurts. Everything hurts, despair spreading through her. She knows the nightmare by now, knows what's coming._

_And she really doesn't want to see him die again._

_She can't take it._

_It's too much._

_But she can't wake up either, no matter how hard she tries._

_"Get on with it, motherfucker."_

_No. No, no, no, no._

_Please, not again._

_Even in the nightmare, she can't breathe, tears coming to her eyes, and there's pain, everywhere._

_She starts to panic, actually managing to open her mouth to speak for the first time ever in the nightmare, but when no sound comes out, frustration and despair take her over as she tries to say the words louder, tries screaming at them to stop the hanging._

_But still, no sound comes out._

_This fucking hurts._

_But suddenly, there's something different._

_Charles looks at her and opens his mouth to speak, his voice urgent._

_"Wake up, Eleanor."_

* * *

He hadn't been able to resist.

He came to the mansion again, climbed up to her balcony with the intention of waking her up.

But what he saw made his heart clench.

Instead of seeing Eleanor sleeping peacefully like the last time, she was trashing around in her sleep, a pained look of despair in her face as she kept whimpering, mumbling "No" and "Stop" over and over again.

All he wanted was to make whatever nightmare was plaguing her go away.

Bringing his hand to the doorknob, he's surprised to see she left the door unlocked.

Without thinking twice, Charles steps inside the room, closing the door behind him and going over to sit on her bed.

She's growing more and more restless with each passing second. Something really horrible must be about to happen in her nightmare.

Seeing her like this, so vulnerable and in such despair makes him want to hold her in his arms and never let her go.

Grabbing her shoulders, he shakes her lightly.

"Wake up, Eleanor."

And she does. Her eyes snap open, filled with panic and she takes a deep breath, frowning as she looks at him.

He sees relief fill her face for a moment before she hides it.

"Charles." She says in a whisper.

"Must have been one hell of a nightmare."

Eleanor nods, unable to look at him for some reason, staring down at the sheets.

"It was." She says quietly and his heart breaks for her.

She looks... Guilty?

But why?

"Look at me." He lifts her chin, and she tries to avert her eyes. "Eleanor. Look at me."

She hesitantly does, her face a mask of pain and guilt.

"What was it about?"

She sighs.

"A man... being hanged."

Frowning, he remembers the experience he had this afternoon. The rope around his neck.

"Was it me?" he asks without thinking twice and she looks up at him, a confused and surprised look on her face.

"How did you know? Was I saying you name?"

"No. I just... guessed."

"Oh." She whispers, and he notices her eyes are glinting with unshed tears.

Deciding to try and make her forget about the nightmare for a while, he smirks, one hand caressing her cheek.

"Can't take your mind off me, huh Miss Guthrie?"

A small laugh escapes her and she looks up at him, biting her lower lip.

Too exhausted to care about consequences, she leans forward, closing the distance between them.

Charles responds to her kiss immediately, one hand going to the back of her neck while the other goes to her left wrist, his thumb rubbing small circles on it.

Her heart rate increases again, but for a completely different reason.

The kiss isn't as demanding as the ones they shared at the pool, but there was the same amount of passion, the same sense of recovering something that had been lost a long time ago.

Eventually, they part for air, watching each other closely.

"Why did you come back?" She asks and he brushes her hair behind her ear.

"I believe I promised you something, back at the pool."

Desire sparks inside her, even though she's completely exhausted.

"But..." He continues. "You look half dead right now. When was the last time you had a full night of sleep?

"I'm not sure." She says with a grimace. "I have night terrors. Sometimes I go 3, 4 days with only a few hours of sleep."

"Night terrors?"

"It's a sleeping disorder. Persistent fear that comes at night."

"Nightmares, night terrors, depression... You're really fucked up, aren't you?" Charles says and she nods quietly, looking down at her fingers.

Her eyes scream of a lonely girl.

Alone. Unloved.

A thought occurs to him.

"How long have you been like this, Eleanor?"

"My whole life, basically."

"Your father... He never tried to help you?"

"Well, he... He's old fashioned, he thinks this sort of stuff doesn't exist. He kept telling me I just had to forget about this nonsense, so eventually, I just stopped trying to talk to him about it."

Charles clenches his jaw, fighting the urge to walk out of her room and go in search of her worthless father. He wants to kill him.

Killing her father... Why does the thought send a wave of déjà vu over him?

Loud thunder sounds from outside and they both look at the glass door of the balcony, only now noticing the rain starting to fall.

"I should go. Before it gets worse." He says, and she feels her heart sink.

"Yeah. You should."

She's quick to hide it, but he sees the sadness that flickers through her tired eyes, catching him by surprise.

How can he bring himself to leave her like this? He doesn't want to. Doesn't want to leave her alone to her demons, just like her worthless shit of a father did.

Bringing his hand to her face, he leans in to kiss her again, reveling in her sigh of pleasure as he pushes her back into the matress, laying her back down and covering her body with his.

Lightning illuminates the room for a second, followed by another loud thunder, causing Eleanor to jump slightly and Charles breaks their kiss, looking at the glass door to see that a storm was now falling heavily outside. He looks back down at the blonde beauty beneath him. "Is your door locked?"

"You mean the door to my bedroom?" He nods. "Yeah. I lock it every night." She says before looking outside at the storm for a moment. "Looks like you're not going anywhere for now."

He shakes his head. "You think that rain's an obstacle to me?"

"Oh please. Look at that storm. You'll lose your footing on your way down to the pool area. The little stones on the wall get really slippery when they're wet, you know. So does the railing."

"So what, you'll just invite a criminal to spend the night in your room?"

She smirks. For some reason, criminals have never intimidated her.

She feels like she has dealt with this sort of people before.

"If you wanted to harm me in any way, you would have already done it by now." She says in a confident voice, before bringing her hands to her lips as a long yawn escapes her.

His eyes soften at that.

"You should get some sleep."

"What about your promise? Are you backing down?" She challenges him with a smirk.

"I never back down."

"Really?"

"Really. And believe me, I would love to make good on my promise right now..." He says, pressing his hips to hers and causing a delicious moan of surprise to tumble from her lips. "But you can barely keep your eyes open. And I want you to be able to feel everything I will do to you, Miss Guthrie." He says in a low tone before kissing her neck.

"I think you're too full of yourself." She manages to say, eyes closed as she enjoys the feeling of his lips on her skin.

"We'll see about that." he says in her ear before moving his head to drop a kiss to her collarbone.

Not able to resist, his lips start moving lower to her chest and her hands go to his hair, breath hitching as she arches slightly into him.

Eleanor can feel the desire flowing through her entire body as Charles leaves a trail of kisses down to the valley of her breasts, occasionally nipping at her skin, causing her to moan quietly into the darkness of the room.

She wraps her legs around his hips, wanting to feel more of him, the feeling of his tongue darting out to caress her flesh driving her crazy.

One of his hands run down her left side beneath her shirt, leaving goosebumps on her skin before going under her bottom to pull her into him, bringing their hips flush together.

"Oh fuck" Her voice is breathy, and he groans against her chest.

This is getting out of hand, and it surprises Charles. He doesn't usually lose control like this.

But this woman. She does something to him.

He's not sure if he likes it or not.

Pulling back to look into her eyes, he's finally able to regain some sort of control.

She's exhausted. She needs sleep.

Pressing a kiss to her lips, he rolls them on the bed so they're both laying on their sides, his arms around her, holding her to his chest. A small sound of annoyance comes from Eleanor and she pulls back to look at him.

"I'm alright. I won't break or something like that. I'm just a little tired, but that doesn't mean I can't-"

He cuts her off with another kiss and she hums in approval, trying to deepen it but he breaks it before she can, his hands moving across her back and a smirk tugs at the corners of his lips as she groans at him.

He could have sworn he saw this before. Eleanor in his arms, looking at him in adorable annoyance while they lay in bed.

"Sleep." He says simply, resisting the urge to smirk fully at her, knowing somehow that she would put up a fight if he did.

Another flash of lightning illuminates the room for a moment again, allowing them to see each other's faces clearly, both seeing the desire in the other's eyes.

"Just sleep, Eleanor." He tells her, one hand moving to caress her back beneath her shirt.

He can see her eyelids are heavy but the stubborn woman simply refuses to close her eyes.

And that's when a thought comes to his mind. She's fighting sleep to convince him she's not so tired, of course, but there's something else.

She's afraid to fall asleep. Afraid to close her eyes and go back to her nightmares.

How come he's always able to read her like an open book?

"You can fall asleep. If you have nightmares again, I will wake you up, alright?"

Surprise flickers through her eyes for a second. Looks like she's not used to having someone who understands her.

They lay there staring at each other for a long time, the fingers of one of his hands drawing patterns on her back while the other caresses her hair.

Everything feels right in their worlds, and Charles notices when Eleanor starts to blink sleepily at him, bringing one hand to hold on to the collar of his leather jacket, the other one moving to his hair.

Soon enough, she's barely keeping her eyes open for a second between the blinks and this goes on until she tangles her legs with his, snuggling closer into his body before she goes still, her breathing turning calm and deep as she falls into a peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks.

Charles sighs, holding Eleanor close to him as she sleeps.

He knows it's reckless. He knows it's dangerous and it has everything to end badly.

But in this moment, when he's holding Eleanor Guthrie in his arms as she sleeps, keeping her safe from her nightmares and her fears, he doesn't give a fuck about anything else.

In this moment, he can't bring himself to regret his decision of staying with her tonight.

* * *

Meanwhile, the storm arrives at the beach, causing Jack to rise from the sand.

He and Anne had been sitting in silence for hours, both lost in thought as they watched the sea.

Apparently, the redhead couldn't care less about the rain, not even flinching.

"Anne, come on, it's getting worse. Let's go to the car!" Jack calls over the noise of the storm, but she ignores him.

"Darling..." He reaches down to touch her shoulder and she jumps up from the sand, slapping his hands away before angrily walking back to the car.

Sighing, he follows her, seeing she got into the passenger's seat. He frowns.

She must be really upset if she doesn't even want to drive.

Jack is starting to get really worried. He never saw her like this.

He gets into the driver's seat, looking over at Anne.

She's trembling as her teeth chatter from the cold, arms crossed while she stares out in the direction of the sea.

As he moves to start the car, she mumbles a quiet "Don't", causing him to look over at her in confusion.

"What?"

"Don't. I wanna stay here."

"Anne, you're freezing. The sea will still be here tomorrow, we can come back-"

"Please, Jack. Just for a while." The redhead says, finally looking over at him.

And his breath catches as he sees the look on her face.

Her ever present walls are down, her blue eyes filled with sadness and pain as she watches him, looking completely vulnerable.

Jack can't remember if he ever saw her like this. Probably not.

He just can't bring himself to say no or to fight her.

Sighing, he reaches into the backseat, retrieving his jacket and putting it on her shoulders, keeping his arm around them.

"I dreamed about us." Anne says suddenly and Jack looks at her. "You and I. We were on a ship."

"Like a cruise ship?"

She shakes her head. "Pirate ship. Her name was the Ranger."

"'Her' name?"

"It's how you refer to ships."

"How do you know that?"

She shrugs. "I just do."

"So... In your dream, were we pirates?"

She nods.

"And why are you so upset about it?"

She looks at him, and for a moment he sees a flash of her just like this, sitting beside him at some sort of tavern, but wearing a long leather coat and a strange looking hat instead of modern clothes.

Her voice is quiet when she answers him, looking back towards the ocean.

"Because it felt more like a memory."


	10. New Advances

The first thing Eleanor notices as she starts to wake up is the absence of a source of warmth that she knows was here when she fell asleep.

Opening her eyes slowly, she frowns. This feels weird. For the first time in months, she actually feels well rested after waking up, her eyes are not hurting and she doesn't feel sad.

But there's something missing.

Looking at the empty spot beside her on the bed, she sighs. Charles was gone.

Had it all been only a dream?

Her doubts are answered when she catches sight of a piece of paper on the pillow beside her with a few words written in it.

_"Can't take the risk of staying after sunrise. See you around, Miss Guthrie."_

A smile comes to her face before she fights it away, looking around and noticing how dark the room is.

She realizes the thick curtains of her balcony's glass door are closed. When she fell asleep last night, they weren't.

Eleanor feels her heart fill with affection as she concludes that Charles must have closed them before he left.

So she would be able to get more sleep.

Shaking her head with a small smile refusing to leave her lips, she turns her phone on, staring in disbelief at the screen when she sees it's already 10 in the morning.

Quickly doing the math in her head, the blonde realizes she actually had a full 8 hours of sleep. When was the last time this happened? She has no idea.

No to mention that after falling asleep in Charles' arms, she didn't have any nightmares, sleeping peacefully and not waking up scared in the middle of the night.

At this thought, there's a wave of insecurity coming over her.

How long had she slept in his arms? She had been so vulnerable. That wasn't good at all.

But as Eleanor gets up, feeling so well rested and in such a good mood, she can't bring herself to regret any of it.

Looking at the mirror in her bathroom, she notices even her appearance is better.

Quickly getting ready for the day, she tries not to think of the kisses and touches they shared before she fell asleep, that ever present desire for him getting stronger.

When would they see each other again?

* * *

_Earlier_

The sun had just risen when Charles got back to the hideout.

How he wishes he could have stayed.

But the risk of getting caught would be even higher after sunrise, and he didn't want to end up in jail. Glancing at the closed curtains of Jack and Anne's room, he quietly makes his way to his own room, going inside and closing the door behind him.

Behind the curtains, Anne listens, wide awake, sitting on the bed while Jack sleeps beside her.

She's unable to keep her eyes closed for more than a few seconds.

Every time she does, every time she tries to fall asleep there's images flashing in her head.

Blood. Ships. Battles.

Death.

A strange place, ancient looking buildings.

And a name that won't leave her alone.

Getting up, she stealthily makes her way to the computer they have at the hideout, turning it on and sighing.

She types in the name, watching as her search results appear.

_Nassau._

It looks a lot different, with modern buildings and everything, but as she scrolls through the images, the redhead recognizes some of the beaches, and the Island as a whole.

She knows she's been there before, even though the trio has never left the country.

"What the fuck is going on?"

* * *

The stubborn little smile that's been on Eleanor's face since she saw the closed curtains of her balcony's door drops instantly as she comes to her father's office and hears Rogers' voice inside.

"... alright, sir, really. She needed it."

"It's not like her to sleep in like this. She's usually up with the sun." Her father says.

"Your daughter seemed completely exhausted the last time I saw her. Let her sleep. I can come by later."

She rolls her eyes before walking into the office, causing both men to look her way.

"Ah. There she is. Did you sleep well?" Richard asks, nodding at her.

"Yes, actually. For the first time in months." She says before looking at the arrogant idiot with a slight nod.

"Rogers."

"Good morning, my lovely lady. I see you followed my advice and got some rest." He says proudly, flashing her a smile.

What a convinced asshole. He must think that he's the center of the universe.

Eleanor has to fight against the sudden urge of telling Rogers that this had nothing to do with him, and that she only slept so well because she was in Charles' arms.

She was in his arms, for hours. In bed. How would that arrogant jerk like to know about this?

Biting her tongue, she forces a smile.

"What brings you here so early?"

"Must you ask?" He asks with a chuckle, glancing at her father as he watches the pair with a smile on his face.

She doesn't know which one of them she hates the most right now.

"He came by to see you, Eleanor. It's Friday and he wishes to know if you will go out with him for dinner tomorrow." Richard says, watching his daughter closely.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot about that." She says.

_Shit._

Now what?

"I haven't been feeling too well for the past couple of days. So I can't tell you for sure." She lies, looking at Rogers with an apologetic face.

"I'm so sorry to heart that, Miss Guthrie. What is it that you're feeling?" The idiot asks, faking concern.

"I think it might be a cold, due to the unusually stormy weather that has been around lately, maybe. I'm not used to cold weather."

"She really isn't." her father says and she resists the urge to roll her eyes.

He doesn't know a thing about her health. Mr. Scott does. He's the one who always would take care of her when she got sick during her childhood, never her father.

She remembers her 7 year old self, burning up with a fever, waiting the whole day for the sun to set so Scott would come to work. She remembers sneaking out of her room and going in search of him. He was the one who gave her medicine and held her in his arms, telling her bedtime stories until she fell asleep.

He was the one who did everything he could to make her feel better, took care of her bruises, stayed by her side when she was still too little to deal with the night terrors on her own. He was the one whose eyes filled with concern every time there was something wrong with her. Never her father. Scott had seen more of her childhood than he had, so much more.

Eleanor was really lucky to have him.

She knows that if it wasn't for him, she would be a lot more fucked up by now.

How could she worry so much about having her father's approval, even considering the idea of accepting Rogers' advances? How could she think about throwing herself into a loveless marriage just so her father would look at her the way she had always wanted him to?

How could she disappoint the man who had taken care of her during her childhood? Scott had been so worried, asking her to stay away from Rogers. Would he be too disappointed if she got closer to the man?

And what about Charles?

Oh God, Charles.

The man she had just met but who had already done so much for her.

He saved her from Ned.

He took her away from that party.

He gave her a delicious taste of freedom during their motorcycle ride.

He took the risk of getting caught just so he could return her knife.

He showed her what raw desire felt like. He got her hooked to the feeling of his lips on her skin.

But mostly, he came back for her. Understood her. Stayed with her so she could have a full night of peaceful sleep for the first time in months.

And even when the time came for him to leave, Charles made sure she would get her much needed rest by closing her curtains.

It was strangely familiar, actually. Having someone who did so much for her. And yet, she's still having trouble deciding where her loyalty lays.

Her guilt comes over her, practically screaming at Eleanor not to choose her father's approval, and instead to listen to Max and Mr. Scott's advice when they told her to stay far away from Rogers.

To stop fighting against her developing feelings for Charles.

She frowns.

Her feelings for Charles?

"Eleanor?" Her father asks.

She comes back from her thoughts, looking at him and Rogers. They had been talking about something.

"Sorry. What is it?"

"I was saying I will leave for that meeting tonight and won't be back until monday. Rogers offered you his help with the Trading Company management while I'm gone if-"

"I'm perfectly able to handle it on my own, thank you." She interrupts him, lifting her chin slightly.

"Oh, I'm sure you are. But you said you're not feeling too well, so... If you need me, just call." He says, flashing her a charming smile.

How Eleanor wishes she could slap that fucking smile off his face.

"I'll keep that in mind."

His phone rings, and she's relieved as Rogers' attention goes to it instead of her.

"Well, duty calls. Sir, if you'll excuse me." He says, shaking hands with her father.

"Always a pleasure, Rogers. Feel free to visit us anytime." He nods, moving to stand in front of Eleanor.

"I hope you'll feel better soon, Eleanor. Call me if you need my help with the Company, alright? I will check up on you tomorrow and if you're feeling better, we can go out for dinner." He says, taking one of her hands in his.

She clenches her jaw, forcing a smile and nodding, before he kisses her hand.

_Fucking annoying idiot._

* * *

Jack frowns when he wakes up and doesn't find Anne in their bed.

Getting up, he lifts a part of the curtains to get out of their room, immediately catching sight of her, his heart clenching.

She fell asleep at the computer.

Sighing, he goes over to the desk, looking at the screen. There's pictures of an Island and several tabs open. Every tab was showing information about a place called Nassau.

_Nassau today, pirates of Nassau._

What was going on with Anne? Had her dream affected her so much?

Shaking his head, he lifts the redhead from the chair, holding her in his arms and she mumbles, a frown coming to her face. Waiting for a moment, he's relieved when she doesn't wake up, turning to carry her back to the bed just as the door to Charles' room opens and he steps out, looking at the pair with a curious look, one eyebrow rising at the sight of his friend carrying a sleeping Anne in his arms.

Jack looks at him, whispering he'll explain in a moment, before walking back to the room behind the curtain.

He slowly lays his little brute back on their bed and she turns on her side, scowling in her sleep.

Brushing her hair out of her face, he bends down to kiss her forehead before walking out of the room, closing the curtain behind him quietly.

Charles is at the computer, looking at the research Anne had been doing.

"Nassau?" He asks as Jack sits on the couch, rubbing his forehead.

"Anne had this... this dream the other night. Said we were on a pirate ship. It was called the Ranger, I think." He says and Charles looks at him, frowning. "Then she wanted to go to beach and watch the sea. Even after that storm hit, she insisted on staying for a while longer. She's acting really weird, Charles. I'm starting to get worried.

"Did you say the Ranger?" He asks, the name bringing a strong wave of déjà vu over him.

"Yeah. Nice name for a pirate ship, don't you think?" Jack says with a small laugh, trying to distract himself from his worries. But Charles just stands there, deep in thought.

That name...

Why was it so familiar?

"Oh, don't start." Jack groans.

"What?"

"Anne zones out just like that when she starts thinking about the dream she had. Don't start doing it too."

"Did she say anything else about the dream?"

"She just said it had felt more like a memory." He says with a shrug.

Frowning, Charles heads to his room, a thought coming to his brain.

He gets his phone and dials Idelle's number, the dark haired woman picking up immediately.

"Do you want to see me?"

She asks with a seductive tone.

Charles ignores her question.

"You once told me about some stuff. Reincarnation, right?"

"Uh, yeah. What about it?"

"I want to know more about past lives and all that shit."

"Okay, well... I can go over there and tell you all I know."

"No. I'll pick you up at your place so we can go somewhere more private."

"I like the sound of that. I'll be waiting for you then, Captain." She says in a flirtatious voice and he hangs up. For whatever reason, she always had this habit of calling him Captain.

And after Anne's dream, the nickname brings a weird feeling.

Things just keep getting stranger and stranger.

* * *

After night fell over the city and Richard left for the meeting, Eleanor turned her notebook off with a sigh. She had enough of Trading Company business for today. Looking around her father's empty office, she gets up from his desk, going to her room so she could get some medicine for her headache.

As she swallows the pill, Eleanor reads a text she had received from Max. It said she wanted to do something tomorrow night, go out to a club or bar.

_"Alright. We'll go out. I feel more like going to a club. And please, not anything too fancy. I don't want to risk Rogers seeing us."_  She texts back, waiting for a few moments until her friend's reply shows up.

_"He doesn't seem like the kind of person who goes out to clubs, Eleanor. Aren't you being a little bit too paranoid?"_

Biting her lip, the blonde considers this. Max was right. She was being paranoid. But she just couldn't help it. There is something about Rogers. He makes her want to do her best to stay away from him.

_"I suppose you're right. Well, anyway. Pick a club and tell me later. We can come to the mansion after, my father won't be here until monday. And I don't really feel like being alone lately."_

She sends the text and lets her phone drop to the bed, turning around to look at her balcony's door.

Would Charles come over tonight?

Eleanor shakes her head, trying not to think about him.

Maybe a walk through the gardens would be good for her?

Making her way out of her room, she walks the corridors and goes down the grand staircase, soon finding herself at the huge gardens around the mansion.

Would Rogers believe her little "I'm not feeling too well" excuse? Would he try to stalk her to see if it was true?

He doesn't seem like the kind of person who takes no for an answer. She has a feeling he wants things exactly his way, and probably gets angry otherwise.

Just like a spoiled child.

Rolling her eyes, she spots Mr. Scott and goes over to him, smiling when he gives her a quick hug, one hand cradling the back of her head in a fatherly gesture.

He probably noticed her troubled eyes. She didn't even have to say anything.

"He didn't even say goodbye to me before leaving for the meeting. Last time I saw him was at his office with that arrogant idiot." She tells him, annoyed at Richard.

"Is Rogers the arrogant idiot?" Scott asks with a smile.

"He's driving me insane. He wanted to take me out for dinner tomorrow."

Worry flickers in Scott's eyes.

"And did you accept?"

"No. I told him I'm not feeling too well. He said he would check up on me tomorrow to see if I'm better anyway, but I will lie. And then I'll go out with Max."

He sighs, relieved.

"Good. I don't like him. He's not good for my little girl. I just know it."

She smiles warmly.

"When I was 15, you said no one would ever be good enough for me."

"And that's true. But someone will be almost good enough." He says, smiling back at her. "I just want you to be happy, my dear."

"Happiness seems a little too far away for me."

He puts his hand on her shoulder.

"It will come, Eleanor. I promise you."

She nods at him, and they start walking the gardens together.

"I hope you still want to go to the spiritist house." He tells her

"You know that when I make a decision, I don't go back on it. How does it work? Will I, uh, see something?"

"You mean a past life?" He asks and she nods. "It depends. I don't know if they will let you have a regression yet. They may see who you were and tell you stuff about it. Tell you things that happened to you. I never had a regression. But they told me that Madi was my daughter in another life too, and that I also knew the girl I love as a daughter before." He says, smiling at her.

"Oh. So that means we knew each other already on a past life?"

"Exactly. That would explain why I felt instantly drawn to that sassy little toddler the first time I saw her." He says with a wink, causing Eleanor to chuckle.

"I wasn't sassy."

"You were impossible. No one could deal with you."

She smiles.

"What was it like? When you saw me for the first time?"

"Your father had just hired me. We were talking in his office and then you walked in. And I swear I never saw a 2 year old look so demanding. You looked at him with this adorable little frown, and he said 'I can't believe you got out of your crib again, Eleanor.'"

She laughs briefly.

"Then you started to scream at him, and he got up to go look for the nanny, asking me to keep an eye on you. The moment he left the office, you stopped throwing your little tantrum, turning to look at me. And I can't explain it, but I saw something in your eyes in that moment. You looked at me as if you recognized me. Usually toddlers are shy with people they just met, but you? You ran up to me immediately, raising your tiny hands until I picked you up. Then you threw your arms around my neck and wouldn't let go for anything in the world." He tells her with a nostalgic look in his eyes as they come to a stop, sitting down at a bench beneath an old oak tree. "When you finally pulled back to look at me, your eyes... I don't know, I never saw such an intense look from a child so young. You seemed... Relieved? Happy to see me. And I felt something too. In that moment all I wanted was to take you home with me, give you the love and attention that I knew you didn't receive at this huge mansion. I wanted to raise you as my own baby, to take care of you. But of course I couldn't. When your father finally came back with the nanny and found you in my arms, he couldn't believe his own eyes. He said you didn't like being held, that you cried whenever someone tried to. That not even he and your grandmother were able to hold you without you screaming at the top of your lungs."

"I remember my grandmother telling me that. That I was a difficult baby."

"You were. When the nanny came over to take you from me, you started to scream and hit her with your tiny hands. You really didn't want to leave my arms. But eventually she was able to take you from me. You were crying so hard. I felt my heart breaking when I saw that woman moving to the door of the office with you, tears rolling down your face as you said 'No, no', and reached for me with your arms, your little hands opening and closing, opening and closing. It hurt me so much to hear your fading cries after she left the office. All I wanted was to go after her and take you back. Your father seemed so confused. He said you had never showed such interest in someone. After that, everytime I saw you the same thing happened. You would ask me to pick you up and it was a battle to get you out of my arms. And do you know what some people believe about babies and children so young?" She shakes her head and he continues. "Some people say that children of such a young age are able to remember stuff from their past lives." His words cause a shiver to go through her, a weird feeling coming to her stomach and she frowns. "So I'm pretty sure you remembered me. I'm sure that little blonde toddler knew who I was. That's why you didn't want to let me go. And you know what else? I think that back then, you remembered the man who's hanged in your nightmares. The memory stayed in your subconscious, and came back as the nightmares a few years later."

She exhales deeply, looking around the gardens then back at him. "But why?"

He shrugs.

"Who knows. Maybe as punishment? Maybe you were somehow involved in his death? What else do you remember from the nightmares?"

"The people, they... They look different. Their clothes. They're not modern. Maybe from the 18th century? I'm not sure."

"And why was the man being hanged?"

She pauses, frowning. She knows why.

"He was a pirate." Eleanor says without even thinking, turning to look at Mr Scott with an alarmed look on her face. "How do I know this?"

"This happens to some people. Memories coming back. But don't be scared. It's nothing to be concerned about. You will just have to work out whatever issue it is that you have with that man. Maybe you will even end up finding him in this life."

_I already did._

How she wishes she could tell Mr Scott.

But he would surely freak out if he found out a man broke into the mansion grounds and put a knife to her throat, then later on came to her room in the middle of the night.

It just would be too risky to tell him. And she didn't want anything happening to Charles.

* * *

 

"So what you're saying..." Charles begins after taking a drag from his cigarette, looking back at Idelle "...is that we don't live just once?"

She nods from the bed. "Exactly. We come back. Like some sort of resurrection, you know? To pay for things we did, take care of unfinished business, do things we didn't get the chance to do on the previous life. We just come back."

He thinks about her words, staring out the window as he smokes.

"And there's proof about this?"

"Well, a lot of people have written books about it, there's a religion that believes in reincarnation, and they do all sorts of stuff, like allowing spirits to talk through them."

Charles frowns, turning to look at her.

"What do you mean?"

"There's people who have sort of a special gift, which allows them to communicate with spirits. And some of them go as far as letting the spirits like, come into their bodies and control them to get a message across."

"Like some sort of possession?"

She tilts her head. "It kinda does work like a possession, but it's completely different. The medium is just used as a vehicle for communication between the two worlds. And some spirits have told stories about the other world, about reincarnation. All of them say the same things, and there's a lot of books about what they say."

Charles shakes his head lightly, turning back to stare out the window again and Idelle sighs, getting up from the bed and going to him.

"I know at first it's a little difficult to believe. But I've seen so much about it, I've read so much. When you start going deeper into it you see that it totally makes sense."

She raises one hand to trace the birthmark on his neck with her fingers.

"I think you killed yourself."

"What?" He asks gruffly, slapping her hand away.

"On a previous life. I think you hanged yourself. Because of your birthmark. They sometimes indicate the way you died on a past life. Especially when your death was a violent one."

His weird experience with the hanging comes to his mind. The crowd. That ancient looking place. The cart moving. The way he felt the rope strangling him.

Eleanor watching him.

The resentment he had felt towards her.

Absentmindedly raising his hand to touch his birthmark, Charles thinks about the dreams he always had. Her face. The turmoil of feelings the dreams always brought him.

Resentment. Anger. Hate.

Love.

"Is there any way for me to see it?"

"See what?" Idelle asks, frowning, her hand caressing his arm.

"A previous life. Find out what's the cause of this birthmark."

"There's places called spiritist houses, sometimes they help people have past life regressions so they can see. But Charles, I don't think it's too wise for you to go."

"And why not?"

"These places are usually filled with highly sensitive people, a lot of them have spiritual gifts and I don't really know what they can or can not do, but I heard that some can see right through you. Know what you're thinking, what you do and everything about you. And you're a criminal."

He watches her as she speaks, the hand caressing his arm bringing thoughts of how much he wishes it was Eleanor here with him instead.

_The things he would do to her..._

"If you go, there's a chance you'll leave that place in handcuffs." Idelle finishes, bringing him back from his thoughts, hand slowly moving from his arm to his lower abdomen.

He watches the city from the window, clenching his jaw. Suddenly he really wants to try this regression thing.

"Is there any other way?"

"Well, there's some hypnosis videos, you lay down and listen to them, and if you're lucky, you go into some sort of trance. Some people are able to see past lives. But it doesn't work with everyone."

"Have you tried?"

"Yeah, actually. I did it once, and it worked for me. During my trance, I saw myself at some sort of ancient tavern. There were pirates all around."

He immediately looks at her, frowning.

"Pirates?" The dream Anne had comes to his mind.

"Yeah. It was pretty cool." She seems to have grown bored of the conversation, her exploring hand starting to move lower.

But Charles moves away from the window and from her, much to her disappointment.

Putting on his helmet, he gives her the other one. "Come on. I'll take you back home. There's stuff I gotta do."

Pouting slightly, Idelle puts it on and they leave the hideout together.

* * *

 


	11. Regressions

Eleanor opens her eyes slowly with a sigh.

Part of her had been hoping she would sleep well again, but she hadn't been so lucky. There had been nightmares and she woke up scared several times.

Each time she would glance at her balcony's door, hoping to see Charles. She left it unlocked so he would be able to get inside if he came.

It's silly and so not like her, but Eleanor just knows that the only way she will have a peaceful sleep again will be if Charles holds her in his arms. Something about him drives her nightmares away, makes her feel safe and warm.

And she doesn't know if she likes this.

Getting up and stepping out on her balcony, she sighs. Now that dawn came, there's no way he will show up.

She wraps her arms around herself, looking down at the pool. Maybe a good swim to start the day will do her some good.

Quickly heading to her walk-in closet, she undresses and puts on a swimsuit.

She walks to the door of her room before pausing and turning around to look at the balcony.

A smirk tugs at her lips as she moves away from the door, running to the other side of the room to step out on the balcony.

Quickly checking if there wasn't anyone around, she carefully climbed up on the railing, looking down at the pool.

Smirking to herself, Eleanor jumps, falling into the water below.

* * *

Staring down at his phone, Charles shakes his head briefly.

What the fuck is he doing?

A past life regression?

Hypnosis?

This won't work. He knows it.

But still, he lays down, pressing play and closing his eyes to concentrate on following the video's instructions.

Maybe he's too tired, because soon his brain feels foggy, his body heavy, and he doesn't think he can bring himself to open his eyes.

There's that pull on his mind again. He hesitates for a moment before giving in, and unconsciousness takes him over.

* * *

_The first thing Charles registers is the sound of the waves crashing against something and the creaking wood._

_Opening his eyes slowly, he looks around the place, only a few candles illuminating it._

_There's a gentle rocking and it's so familiar to him as he lays on a bunk, staring up at a ceiling made of wood._

_A ship?_

_He catches sight of a woman sitting at the edge of the bunk, wearing nothing but a shirt that clearly doesn't belong to her, her blonde hair a complete mess._

_"What is it?" He hears his own voice say, rough with sleep._

_She looks his way and the faint glow of the candles illuminates her face._

_Eleanor._

_She shakes her head lightly._

_"It just feels strange to sleep in a ship."_

_It's not just that. He sees it in her eyes._

_The urge to run. To leave his bed after they sleep together._

_But she can't. Not this time._

_He moves to sit up, staring at her._

_"You're not going anywhere tonight. Unless you want to swim all the way back to the beach, be my guest."_

_She rolls her eyes._

_"Why the hell did I let you bring me to the Ranger?"_

_"Because you were drunk and pissed off at your stupid father. And because you know that in two days my crew and I leave for a big hunt and won't be back for a long time."_

_She scoffs, getting up from the bunk and moving to the windows to look out at the ocean._

_The moonlight illuminates her as she stands there in his cabin, wearing nothing but his shirt, that adorable frown refusing to leave her face._

_Wait, his cabin? His shirt?_

_"Just let yourself relax. I'm not the enemy. Now come back here." He tells her and she looks at him, frown softening a bit._

_With a sigh, she moves away from the windows._

_He raises an eyebrow at her and she stares at him for a moment before climbing back into the bunk._

_As they watch each other closely in the dark, she moves to straddle his hips, her hands going to his chest as his come to rest on her thighs, giving them a light squeeze._

_She hesitates for a moment before moving to kiss him, a hum of approval leaving him as one of his hands moves to her messy hair._

_A loud crash comes from the deck, followed by drunken laughter of the part of the crew that had stayed on the ship, causing them to break their kiss. Eleanor looks up in annoyance and Charles smirks._

_"Don't mind them." He tells her, brushing her hair behind her ear._

_"Fucking animals." She mumbles, looking back down at him as one of his hands goes under the shirt, caressing her side._

_"Did you do what I asked you to do?" She asks as the hand slowly moves higher, heading to her chest._

_"What?"_

_"Finding a way to keep your crew from wreaking havoc in the streets. To make them more civilized. Charles, seriously. They are giving me hell."_

_He sighs and another crash comes from the deck, glass breaking as a sword fight begins, the men laughing._

_"Does that answer your question?" He asks as one of his hands finds one of her breasts, squeezing it._

_"They are doing it on purpose to annoy me. They know I'm here." She says, trying to keep her breathing from speeding up because of his touch._

_"Then just ignore them."_

_The hand on her thigh moves to the back of her neck, bringing her head down again and he kisses her lips, his thumb and index finger rolling her hardened nipple between them, and he takes advantage of her moment of distraction to roll them over in the bunk, trapping her beneath his body._

_She looks at him with annoyance in her eyes, but it melts away as he continues his ministrations on her breast._

_She leans forward to kiss him again and mask her heavy breathing, and after a moment he leaves her lips to trail kisses and bites down her neck to her other breast._

_The swordfight on the deck starts getting more intense as drunken cheers from the rest of the crew drift down to the captain's quarters and she frowns._

_"Jesus, Charles. Shouldn't you go up there?" She asks in a breathy voice that causes him to groan._

_"Let them kill themselves." He says simply, moving to kiss her neck and bite her earlobe, one hand sliding down to the apex of her thighs, his fingers finding her slick entrance, a small moan escaping her._

_"Always so fucking wet for me."_

_"Fuck..." Her voice is unsteady, hands tangling in his hair._

A snapping sound suddenly brings him back to reality, leaving that small piece of paradise behind as he looks around in confusion, realizing that a sound from the video had been used to bring him out of the trance.

Anger flows through him. He wasn't ready to come back.

Charles considers listening to the video again and hopefully going back to that same moment with Eleanor.

He remembers the name of the ship, thinking about Anne's dream. It was the same ship.

The redhead's voice reaches his ears, a strangled cry, as if she's waking up from a nightmare.

Frowning, he gets up, stepping out of his room and heading to the curtain of his accomplices' room.

Lifting it to look inside, he finds a startled Anne sitting up in bed.

"What happened?" He asks as she looks at him, quickly masking the dread that was in her eyes.

"Bad dream."

"About?"

"Battle at sea. There were 3 ships. Why?" She asks gruffly.

Stepping inside the room, he watches her as she looks around with a scowl.

"Where the fuck is Jack?" The redhead asks, voice still rough from sleep.

"I've no idea. Just woke up." Charles answers her, stepping over to look out the window of the room.

"Three ships, you say? Was one of them the Ranger?"

She snaps her head up to look at him.

"How did you know about the Ranger?"

Turning to look at her, he takes a step forward.

"Because I saw her, the ship, in my dream too."

Anne frowns at him and he sighs.

"There's something going on, Anne. And you and I are going to find out exactly what it is, alright?" He says and she nods, the two of them staring at each other in silence.

* * *

Eleanor sighs deeply as she leans against the column in the pool.

Her eyes close as she remembers the moments she had shared with Charles in this very spot.

No matter how hard she tries to banish him from her thoughts, it doesn't work.

It never works.

He's always there in her head, and in quiet moments like this, her thoughts drift to the kisses and caresses they had shared, causing fire to spread through her veins.

She wants more.

It will never be enough. She will never get enough of him.

Her quiet moment is interrupted when one of the servants comes to the small gate, calling her name before opening it and stepping into the pool area.

"There she is, Sir." She says and Eleanor frowns, pulling away from the column and swimming to the edge of the pool, her heart sinking when she sees who's with the woman.

"Miss Guthrie, Mr Rogers is here to see you. I'll leave you two alone." She says with a smile and leaves the pool area, while the arrogant idiot in his usual business suit looks over at the water and smiles.

Clenching her jaw, she reaches the pool's edge, holding on to it, knowing she should get out of the water to greet him properly but hating the idea of exposing her body to his eyes.

Forcing a smile, she makes her way to the pool ladder and he holds out his hand to help her. She doesn't take it, getting out of the water by herself.

"Good morning, my lady. Is it wise to go for a swim? You said you had a cold."

_Oh, shit._

"I do. But the water is heated. Don't worry." She lies. The heating is off right now, and she just hopes he won't touch her and notice the cold water on her skin.

"I see. And how are you feeling today? Any better?"

"Sorry, but no. I have a headache that refuses to go away, and with this cold... I apologize, but unfortunately, I will have to decline your invitation."

She sees him clench his jaw for a split second, anger flickering through his eyes before he masks it.

_Well, well. You don't know how to deal with women telling you "No", huh Woodes?_  She thinks, repressing the smug smirk that tries to come to her lips, really satisfied with herself.

"It's quite alright. Your health comes first. We can go some other time. Is there anything you need? Help with managing the Company during your father's absence? Someone to watch over you and take care of you while you're sick?"

Is he fucking serious?

"I can handle the Company. And I've been taking care of myself for years now, so don't worry." She tells him, glancing around the pool area, desperate to find something she could use to cover her exposed skin while noticing his eyes lingering over her body.

Why did she have to jump from the fucking balcony? Now she didn't have a towel or anything to cover herself.

At least the lower part of the swimsuit covers her scars. She really doesn't want Rogers seeing her greatest weakness.

His eyes come to the birthmark on her stomach and he frowns.

"Is that a scar, or were you born with it?"

"I've had it since birth." She replies, looking back at him.

His eyes cloud over for a moment and he blinks hard, scowling lightly and looking as if he was almost remembering something, but then shaking his head and smiling at her.

_What the fuck?_

Does he have déjà vu too?

Relief floods her when she remembers about the stack of towels at the alcove.

Quickly heading over to it, she picks one up and turns around to face Rogers again, catching him staring at her body.

"Like what you see?" Eleanor asks in annoyance and he averts his eyes.

"My apologies. I couldn't help myself."

_What are you, some sort of animal?_  She thinks, disgusted.

"I must say, you caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to find you in a swimsuit. And with all due respect, you look impressive." He tells her, disappointment filling his eyes as she wraps the towel around herself, protecting her skin from his stare.

"I like to swim in the morning." She replies, feeling anxious from being out here alone with Rogers, wearing nothing but a swimsuit and a towel.

_Go away..._

"Swimming is good. But don't stay out here for too long, we don't want your cold to get worse, do we? The sooner you recover, the sooner I can enjoy your lovely company again." He says with a charming smile.

Self centered asshole.

Thankfully his phone rings and he grimaces. "Duty calls. I must go." He steps closer to her, and she's instantly alarmed, ready to put up a fight.

But he merely reaches for her hand to kiss it like he always does.

"Get well soon, Eleanor. Call me if you need anything." He says with a wink before leaving the pool area.

She sighs in relief, dropping the towel and heading over to the edge of the pool before sitting down, putting her feet in the water.

Each time she sees Rogers, she feels more repulsed by him.

Looks like Max and Mr. Scott are right. There is something bad about him.

And Eleanor doesn't know if she wants to find out what it is.

* * *

"Is this shit safe?" Anne asks as Charles brings his phone to his accomplices' bedroom.

"You ride the motorcycle in the most reckless way possible, almost killing yourself, and now you're worried about this being safe?" He raises an eyebrow at the redhead, handing her the phone.

"You don't play with this stuff, Charles. I heard stories. But fuck it. Let's do this." She says, taking a deep breath and laying down in bed.

"You have to relax. Close your eyes and follow the instructions. There's a sound at the end of the video to bring you out of the trance. If I notice anything's wrong I will skip right to it so you'll wake up." Charles tells her, lighting a cigarette.

"Jack's gonna kill us. He hates this stuff." Anne says with a frown.

"Well, he's not here right now, is he? He doesn't have to know."

She nods, staring up at the ceiling.

"Go on."

She sighs, pressing play and closing her eyes.

The minutes drag by and Charles watches as her breathing turns even and deep.

Good. It worked. She's in trance.

He keeps watching her closely, paying attention to her so he could intervene if he had to.

Jack would never forgive him if something happened to Anne.

She keeps frowning, occasionally becoming angry and trying to mumble something.

This was going to be interesting.

His thoughts drift to his own regression. He wasn't sure if he believed this whole thing yet. Maybe Anne's experience could be proof enough to convince him. If she and Jack were on the Ranger like she dreamed, it must mean that they all knew each other on their previous life, since he saw himself in the same ship.

_With her._

The urge to see Eleanor again gets stronger and he shakes his head to clear his thoughts, focusing his attention on Anne again.

The sound used to bring people out of the trance comes just as the front door opens, Jack calling their names.

Anne comes back to reality with a strangled cry, sitting up in bed, her eyes wild as she looks around.

Jack comes into the room with a frown on his face when he sees the state she's in.

"What the hell is going on?" He demands to know, rushing to her side and trying to calm her down.

She tries to hit him at first, but then realizes who he is and lets him put his arms around her for a few seconds before pushing him away.

"I'm fine." She growls, and Jack looks down at Charles' phone.

"Past life regression?" He asks, looking between the two.

Charles shrugs and Anne just watches the curtain of the room.

"Unbelievable. I leave you two alone for a couple hours and look what happens." Jack complains, rubbing his forehead. "I heard this is dangerous. What if you weren't able to come back?" He says to Anne and she clenches her jaw.

"I said I'm fine!"

"What did you see?" Charles asks her and she looks at him.

"That ship again. You. You were our Captain. I saw battles, and death, and violence." She says with a far off look in her eyes. "I saw the Guthrie bitch. She fucked us. Took the ship from us."

Charles frowns at her words, resentment sparking in his chest.

The redhead looks at Jack.

"I don't care what you say. I will do it again. I want to see more."

He sighs, knowing it would be useless to try arguing with her.

"Did you do it too, Charles?"

He nods.

"Well...? What did you see?"

"I was at the captain's quarters. On the ship Anne mentioned. That's all you need to know." He growls, retrieving his phone and storming out of the room.

* * *

The full moon is high in the sky when Eleanor stops her car in front of Max and Idelle's place.

She quickly locks it before going to the door, not wanting to stay out in this neighborhood for too long at this hour.

Her friend opens the door for her and she goes inside, Max locking the door behind them.

"Guess who saw me in nothing but a swimsuit this morning." The blonde says with a grimace as she sits down on the couch.

"Hmm. I bet he freaked out." The other woman laughs, sitting down as well and jokingly raching to pull down the deep neckline of Eleanor's dress.

"Shut up. He stared a lot. It was awful."

"Sorry to say, darling, but now I think he won't leave you alone, no matter what you do. I've seen this body of yours and it's enough to drive anyone crazy."

"Are you drunk?"

"Almost there." She says with a wink, heading over to the kitchen and coming back with two glasses of vodka.

"Sorry. Couldn't wait until you got here." She says, handing her one glass and sitting back down. "There you go. Drink up, my beauty. Anything to forget that idiot staring at your body."

"Thanks. I really hope it works." Eleanor says, bringing the glass to her lips.

"So. Where are we going tonight?"

"The Demeter!" Max says gleefully.

"You just love that place, don't you?"

"Oh, shut it. You love it as much as I do."

"And do you plan on getting ready anytime soon?" the Trading Company's heir asks, gesturing at her friends clothes. Or lack thereof.

"What? Can't I go to the nightclub wearing just a shirt and panties?" She asks jokingly and Eleanor smirks.

"You're really happy tonight, aren't you." The blonde looks around the place. "Where's Idelle?"

"With a client somewhere, drunk off her ass. It's just you and me tonight, baby." She says the last sentence in a deep voice and laughs. "Did I sound like Rogers?"

Eleanor groans. "Thankfully, no." She downs the rest of the vodka at the mention of his name, getting up. "Come on. I'll help you with your makeup. You're tipsy."

"Yes ma'am." Max says, getting up and following her to the bedroom.

* * *

Back at the hideout, Jack sighs heavily before going over to the couch to stand in front of his two accomplices as they drink rum in silence.

"Okay, I've had enough of this." He says, causing Anne and Charles to look up at him with bored looks on their faces.

"You two have been moping since Anne's experience this morning, and it's driving me crazy." He reaches down to grab a hold of the redhead's left arm, making her get up from the couch.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" She seethes at him as he begins to drag her back to their room, glancing back at Charles over his shoulder and meeting their leader's eyes.

"Get ready, Charles. We're going out to the Demeter tonight."


	12. The Demeter

Loud music plays at the Demeter, the flashing neon lights and the alcohol flowing through her veins making it easy for Eleanor to forget about all the shit that's been going on lately.

She and Max leave the dance floor to go get more drinks, drawing the attention from pretty much every man who sees them. Always a tease, the dark skinned girl wraps an arm around the blonde's waist and kisses her exposed shoulder, winking at one of the men watching them. Eleanor rolls her eyes at her.

"Keep playing with fire. Until some idiot starts following us around."

Max pats the knife strapped to the blonde's thigh through her dress with a smirk.

"Then I'll just show Scott's little gift to the fucker and he'll leave us alone."

Eleanor smirks, looking around. The Demeter is located close to Max and Idelle's house.

Most people consider it a dangerous place.

But she likes it. Part of her lives for these moments. She loves the danger, staying close to the kind of people who come here. She likes this so much more than the boring high society parties her father drags her to.

This kind of place feels more familiar to her.

She knows this club is always crawling with criminals, but doesn't care. She can defend herself and it takes much more than this to make her scared.

They've been here for two hours and she already had more fun during this time than she had the whole week at the mansion.

Well, except for the moments she spent with Charles. Nothing could beat that.

She smirks into her newly bought glass of vodka. And of course Max notices.

"It's the second time I catch you smiling out of nowhere tonight. What's going on?" She yells to be heard over the loud music and Eleanor winks at her. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The blonde takes one of her friend's hands, pulling her back to the dance floor, a big smile refusing to leave her lips.

An hour and two more glasses of vodka for each of them later, the two women make their way to the bathroom, laughing with their hands intertwined.

"Okay, seriously" Max says as they check their makeup in the mirror, the music muffled by the bathroom's door. "Something's up. I thought that after what happened with Rogers in the morning you were going to be in a bad mood, but you're actually pretty happy. That's unusual for you. What's going on?"

Eleanor just smirks at her. "I'm just happy tonight. No big deal."

"Bullshit." Max slurs slightly. "I know you well. And you, missy, are hiding something from me."

"We all have our little secrets." The blonde tells her friend, fixing her lipstick.

Whatever Max was going to say dies in her throat as one of the bathroom stalls opens and a tough looking redhead steps out, wearing a dark brown leather jacket, skinny jeans and leather boots.

Max raises one eyebrow, turning around and leaning against the sink to face the woman with a flirtatious smile.

Eleanor puts the lipstick back in her purse and looks over her shoulder at the redhead. She can see the woman recognizes her.

"Hey there. You wanna stay with us?" Max asks in a seductive voice.

The two women stare at each other for a moment before the redhead frowns, shaking her head slightly and storming out of the bathroom.

Eleanor chuckles.

"I think you scared her."

"Oh please. Did you see her? She doesn't seem like the type who gets scared too easily." Max says, watching the door.

The blonde snaps her fingers in front of her face, smirking with her eyebrows raised.

"I'm sorry! But she was fucking hot!" Her friend says, laughing. "You know I always had a thing for redheads."

Eleanor chuckles.

"You don't even know if she likes women."

"Oh, she does. My radar never fails. Something tells me she's bisexual."

"Whatever you say." The blonde says with a smile and a shake of her head.

* * *

Anne makes her way back to Jack, a murderous look on her face, directed at him. His eyes widen and he puts his hands up.

"Woah! What did I do now, darling?"

"You won't believe who I saw in the bathroom." She growls at him.

"Who?"

"Eleanor fucking Guthrie, Jack!"

A grimace comes to his face.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"Where's Charles? They will see each other again, and it's your fault, just like the first time!"

"He was right here. But he left with some girl."

"He left for the night?"

"No. He said he'd be back soon."

Anne clenches her jaw, looking around and spotting Eleanor and her friend making their way to the dance floor.

"There she is. That fucking bitch. Why did she have to come here?"

"I had no idea she could show up here, Anne. This is not the kind of place that people from the high society visit."

"You fucked up - now you take care of this mess. If Charles sees that bitch, no sex for a month." She says in an angry voice, taking his glass of rum from him.

He scowls, trying to reach for her. "Aw darling, come on! Be reasonable, it's not my fault!"

"Fuck you, Jack!" The redhead storms off with his glass, leaving him alone. He rubs his forehead, watching the blonde dancing happily with her friend.

_Shit._

* * *

After dancing for a while, Eleanor tells Max she will go out to the area at the back of the club to have a smoke and she nods, making sure the knife is still strapped to the blonde's thigh.

"Don't hesitate to use it if you have to!" She says before making her way over to a girl who had been staring at her for a while now.

Eleanor shakes her head with a chuckle, heading to the back door and stepping outside.

A brick wall surrounds the outdoor area, there are no lights but the full moon is enough to illuminate it.

She reaches inside her purse for a cigarette, lighting it and taking a drag when a couple making out catches the corner of her eye and she looks over at them.

She freezes, a scowl coming to her face as she instantly recognizes the man's long hair and broad shoulders.

_Charles._

He has a brunette against the brick wall and when he starts to kiss her neck, the woman opens her eyes, catching Eleanor staring.

"What is it, sweetheart? You wanna join us?" She slurs slightly and Charles stops his actions, looking over his shoulder to see who she was talking to.

"Shit."

Clenching her jaw, Eleanor lets the cigarette drop to the ground, turning around to storm back inside the club, anger spreading through her.

"Eleanor, wait!" His deep voice calls after her but she ignores it, rushing inside, wanting to get as far away from him as she could.

What was she feeling? Was this jealousy? She just knows she doesn't like this feeling.

And why was she angry at him? It's not like they're together anyway. They only saw each other 4 times, for God's sake.

But still, she's angry. And the pain in her heart scares her.

Was she developing feelings for him?

Trying hard to shut her emotions off, her heart speeds up when she feels a hand grabbing a hold of her arm.

Hand going to the knife strapped to her thigh, she turns around with a menacing look, only to see it was Charles who had caught up to her.

"Let me go." She yells at him while he effortlessly drags her back to the door, quickly stepping outside and shutting it behind them.

"What the hell are you doing in this place, Eleanor?" He asks as she looks around the empty outdoor area.

"It's none of your fucking business!"

"Do you have an idea how damn dangerous this club is?" He points over his shoulder at the door.

"Yes! But I can defend myself!"

He raises an eyebrow.

"Really? Have you learned how to use that knife, then?"

She hesitates, rolling her eyes at his smug smirk and turning her back to him.

"Why were you so angry to see me with that woman?"

"I wasn't angry, you idiot!" She snaps, looking back at him. "Just annoyed. I intended to come out here and peacefully have a smoke but then I see you with some bitch you probably don't even know. You disgust me." She scowls, shaking her head. "I just wanted to be alone for a minute but you and that stupid slut ruined my quiet moment!"

He chuckles briefly and her anger intensifies, as she makes her way back to him and starts hitting him in the chest.

"Don't you dare to fucking laugh at me!"

He lets her hit him for a moment before grabbing her hands, holding them in the air on both sides of his head, bringing their bodies closer together.

"Let me go, you idiot! I fucking hate you!"

"No. You don't." He says in a low voice that sends shivers down her spine before closing the distance between them, crashing his lips against hers.

She fights him for a few seconds before giving in and melting into his kiss, moving her hands around his neck when he lets them go to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

He soon has her against the brick wall, her heart beating wildly in her chest as his tongue caresses hers.

As always, things escalate quickly with them, that already familiar fire consuming the pair as his hands travel down her back, going under her short dress to squeeze her ass, pulling her closer.

A surprised moan sounds at the back of her throat, one leg moving to wrap around his, wanting, needing, to feel more of him.

Her nails dig into the skin of his neck, Eleanor wanting to leave a mark of her own for some reason.

He seems to like this, groaning as one hand leaves her ass to grip her thigh, pulling it higher around his leg until it comes to the same height as his hips.

She gasps when Charles presses his hips to hers, allowing her to feel all of him. He uses this moment to move his lips to her neck, not being gentle this time, sucking hard at the sensitive skin before biting down.

Shit. This is definitely going to leave a mark. She thinks, not able to bring herself to care right now.

She needs more. Always more of him.

"Charles-" She manages to whisper and he rocks against her once more in response, lips not leaving her neck, busy with leaving more bruises on it.

"That hideout you took me to, the night we met- it's... It's close, isn't it?"

She feels him smirk against her neck.

"It is. How about we move this party there?"

She nods quickly and he chuckles, her eyes falling closed as he goes back to assaulting her neck and collarbone, her mouth parting with a strangled moan at a particularly hard bite from him.

_This._  This is something she had no idea she needed so desperately until this moment.

This perfect, perfect mix of pleasure and pain and  _Charles._

How had she survived for so long without this? Her whole body felt like it was on fire, desire taking her over.

She never felt so alive.

Wanting to give as good as she got, Eleanor dug her nails on his shoulders underneath his shirt and leather jacket until she was sure she drew blood.

This seemed to drive him crazy as he picked her up, encouraging her to wrap her other leg around his hips, which she gladly did, a breathy "Fuck" leaving her lips as the new position let her feel him hard against her centre.

Moving against him, her breathing grew heavier and heavier each second and she pulled his head away from her neck to kiss him again, neither willing to pull away from each other so they could leave for the hideout.

Something tells Eleanor he would have no problem with taking her right here against the brick wall at the outdoor area of the Demeter where anyone could see them, and she's surprised with herself when she realizes she would let him.

She's just too desperate for him by now, and just as she considers the idea of telling him about her plans, a throat clears behind them, causing the pair to pause and break their kiss, an annoyed groan leaving Charles.

"This must be some sort of curse." He says, referring to the constant interruptions.

Sighing heavily and trying to catch her breath, Eleanor looks over his shoulder, finding Max, the redhead from earlier and a dark haired man staring at them.

She tries hiding behind him, embarrassed at having been caught like this by Max and two strangers.

Pressing a quick last kiss to her lips, he looks over his shoulder at the three people.

"You know when I say there's times I wanna kill you, Jack? This is one of them." He growls at his accomplice while Anne shakes her head, barely containing her anger at the situation. His eyes drift over to the dark skinned girl. "And who the fuck are you?"

She scoffs at him.

"I happen to be the best friend of the woman you have pressed against that brick wall. Now get your hands off her or I will cut off a part of your body I'm sure you'll miss dearly."

Anne raises one eyebrow in approval, nodding at her words.

"I'll help you."

"Alright, alright! No one will cut anything!" Jack steps in, frowning at the two women before turning his attention back to their leader and the Guthrie girl.

"Max, you didn't have to come out here! I'm alright!" Eleanor finally finds her voice, scowling at her friend while holding on to Charles' shoulders tightly without even realizing it.

"I was worried! There are rapists here, you know!"

"She's right." Jack nods at the blonde, earning him a sharp elbow to the ribs from Anne.

Eleanor drops her head back against the wall, looking Charles in the eyes for a moment.

"We can't catch a break." She whispers, causing a smirk to tug at his lips.

"I can tell my accomplices to get the fuck out of here if you want, and to take your friend with them."

"I'm still here!" Max says loudly, receiving a glare from Eleanor that told her to stay put.

Suddenly there's noise coming from inside the Demeter and police sirens sounding in the distance.

"Shit!" Anne says, looking over at Jack.

"Must be another bar fight, darling. Charles! We gotta go!"

Charles sets Eleanor back on her feet, quickly looking around for an escape route.

"There!" He points to a dumpster near the brick wall, his accomplices nodding.

Anne looks back at Max and then at Eleanor.

"Tell anyone about this and I will fucking kill the two of you." The little brute says before taking off towards the dumpster, climbing up on it before jumping over the wall, disappearing from sight. Jack climbs up on it too, looking back urgently.

"Charles!"

He sighs, glancing at Eleanor.

"I'll see you, Miss Guthrie." He tells her, brushing her hair behind her ear before running to climb on the dumpster with Jack, both quickly jumping over the wall and disappearing the same way Anne had.

Max comes over to her, adjusting her dress with a worried look in her eyes.

"Eleanor, do you know who that man is?" She asks, grabbing a hold of her friend's chin gently to make her look at her. "He's a highly feared criminal! He has even killed people! What were you doing with him? Are you okay?"

"He didn't hurt me, Max."

"Promise me you won't see him again. He's dangerous! You have no idea how much!"

"I won't promise anything. You know how much I hate living by someone else's rules."

Max sighs heavily, lifting Eleanor's chin to look at the bruises on her neck and collarbone.

"Look what he did to you. You better pray your father doesn't notice this. Or he will give you hell for it."

"I don't regret it. And there's so many ways I can hide this. I'll be fine."

Max shakes her head, looking around.

"I can't believe this. Wait a minute - Is he the man you met? The one you told me about?"

"What time is it?" Eleanor asks, ignoring her question.

"Around 4 in the morning, now can you please answer me?"

"No. I can't."

"Then it's true. You're getting involved with a criminal."

"Listen, I can take care of myself, alright? I'm not in any sort of danger. Now can we please go back to the mansion? I'm exhausted and need some sleep."

"You didn't look so exhausted a few minutes ago." Max says with a scoff as she follows her friend back inside the club.

* * *

The criminal trio rushes inside the hideout, locking the front door behind them.

"What the hell was that back at the Demeter, Charles?"

Jack demands to know, trying to catch his breath after their emergency escape.

"Fuck off, Jack."

"I hope you know how reckless this is. You keep seeing that girl - and all of us will pay the price. For God's sake, Charles, she's associated with Woodes Rogers!"

"No, she's not." He growls. "She fucking hates that idiot."

"And you believe her? You barely know her!"

"If she fucks us, I will kill the bitch, and there's nothing you'll be able to do to stop me." Anne seethes from her place in front of the curtain to her and Jack's room.

"No one's gonna lay a finger on her!" Charles tells her, eyes filled with warning and voice rough with anger. "From this moment on, Eleanor Guthrie is under my protection, and if you…" He points at Anne. "…Or anyone else touches her, the person is going to pay the price."

Anne scoffs at him, clenching her jaw with an angry smirk.

"You know what I saw in my regression. She fucked us back then and I just know it's only a matter of time before she does it again. That's the way that bitch is. But go ahead. Sleep with the enemy. See where it will get you. And you-" She looks at Jack with murderous eyes. "You're the one who got us into this mess in the first place. If you even try to go inside our room I'll throw my knife at you." She says angrily before making her way inside the room, closing the curtain behind her.

Jack groans, eyeing the uncomfortable couch that would be his bed for the next few days, or maybe even weeks, until Anne calmed down enough to let him into their bedroom again.

Charles looks at the front door and his accomplice notices.

"Don't even think about it. It's late, if you try going to that mansion right now it will be almost dawn already by the time you get there. You'll be asking to get caught."

"Fuck you, Jack." He says gruffly, probably realizing he was right, and goes to his own room, leaving Jack alone to sleep on their beat down couch.

"If this reincarnation thing is true, then I must be paying for all my sins." He sighs, shaking his head.

* * *

"Are you going to stay out there the whole night or will you come to bed?" Max asks sleepily, and Eleanor sighs from the balcony.

"I don't really feel like sleeping anymore."

"If you're hoping he'll come here tonight, forget it. They were almost caught today, and will probably lay low for a while."

A few minutes drag by, and a frightening thought starts plaguing Eleanor.

"Max?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think... Do you think they escaped safely? From the police, I mean."

"I'm sure they did, my beauty. Don't worry." She answers, half asleep already.

The blonde bites her lip, raising one hand to trace the bruises Charles had left on her neck and collarbone, a small smirk coming to her face. They're already a bit sore, a constant reminder of what happened between them at the back of the Demeter.

She loves it.

And she hopes the marks her nails left will be a reminder for him too.

Smiling to herself, Eleanor goes back inside, closing the balcony's door and taking off her dress.

Not even bothering with sleepwear, she climbs into bed beside her sleeping friend and gets under the covers, closing her eyes with a happy sigh.

After what happened tonight, Eleanor has the feeling she will be able to sleep well, maybe even have nice dreams.

Hopefully involving a certain long haired criminal with piercing blue eyes.

Sweet dreams, indeed.


	13. Their Beginnings

**_Warning: Brief mention of a child being victim of sexual abuse._ **

_20 years ago._

_A 10 year old Charles runs through the streets in the dark, Jack by his side._

_The two boys had just escaped the orphanage, again._

_They come to a stop in a small, dark alley, the nasty smell of trash cans invading their senses._

_"You think we're safe for now?" Jack asks, catching his breath._

_"They won't find us this time." He says, opening his backpack and taking out a blanket before putting it on the filthy ground._

_Jack gets the food they had brought with them, sitting on the blanket with Charles so they could eat._

_"I can take the first watch, alright? You already planned our escape, so sleep for a couple of hours and I stay awake. Then we switch."_

_Charles nods silently, already feeling his eyelids heavy as he eats._

_"I still think we should go back for her though." Jack says, sighing heavily._

_"I told you we will, just not now. We'll have to wait. We can't bring her with us now; she's just five years old."_

_"But I promised I would protect her. She was beginning to trust me."_

_"She will understand."_

_"Anne has too many issues with trust, Charles. She'll hate me when she finds out we escaped and left her there."_

_"I'm sure she will forgive you when we go back for her. Don't worry. Did you find out what happened to her? Why did she end up in the orphanage?"_

_"Heard one of the staff members talking the other day. I think I know what happened to make her that way. I heard that her uncle abused her. Sexually."_

_The two boys only had a vague idea of what that meant. But they already knew it was bad._

_Really bad._

_No wonder Anne was so afraid to let anyone near her._

_"He went to jail. And since she didn't have any family members left, she got sent there." Jack finishes with sad eyes._

_"Stop blaming yourself for leaving her there. I know you wanted to stay with Anne because of what happened to your little sister. But that wasn't your fault. I already told you."_

_"I just want to protect her, Charles. You know I feel like her guardian angel."_

_Charles scoffs._

_"Guardian angels don't exist, Jack. You're doing her a favor by showing her that. The worst thing you can give someone is false hope. We're alone in the world. You know that. Our own parents didn't want us, no one adopted us, and now we're too old and damaged, so the chances of finding a family who wants us are gone. Anne has a chance. She's still too little. And even as damaged as she is, a family may want her and be able to make her get better. So we're doing the right thing by leaving her behind. We're giving her a chance. But if in 3 of 4 years no one adopts her, I promise we'll go back for her, alright?"_

_Jack nods silently._

_"You really think all that? That we're alone in the world?"_

_"You and I? Yes. If our own parents didn't want us, then who will? We're lost boys, Jack. We had our chance to find families who wanted us, but none did. So now we take care of ourselves, we raise ourselves, and we trust no one. We'll be okay if we follow that simple rule." Charles says as he finishes eating, laying down on the blanket and using his backpack as a pillow, putting a knife under it._

_"Wake me up in two hours so I can take the next watch. I put our other knife in your backpack too. Remember to keep it in your hands, in case someone dangerous comes in here." The boy says before he falls asleep._

_The two boys actually manage to stay in the streets for a week before being caught and sent back to the orphanage._

_Jack doesn't seem to be sad about it. In fact, he eagerly goes in search of Anne, and even though it takes a while, the redhead eventually forgives him for leaving her behind._

_And from that day on, he doesn't leave her side, protecting her from the older kids and keeping her out of trouble. Charles escapes a few more times, but Jack refuses to go with him, deciding instead to keep his promise to Anne._

_That is, until the redhead gets older and starts to ask him if they could go with Charles._

_Shortly after she turns 8 years old the two boys, now aged 13, escape again and take her with them._

_They manage to live in the streets for almost two months before being caught._

_But something starts shifting inside them._

_Now they feel even hungrier for freedom. They get a map of the city and start marking escape routes, as well as the abandoned buildings they find and use as shelter._

_Together, the three start coming up with escape plans, getting better each time until they're practically unstoppable, their minds working together with impressive ease._

_It feels like they've done this already. Like they worked together like this before._

_This goes on until they're finally old enough to leave the orphanage and find their freedom, the outside world not managing to tear them apart._

_And the trio that once had been the unstoppable kids of the orphanage becomes the unstoppable criminal trio of Los Angeles._

* * *

 

**Los Angeles**

**Present days**

Charles inspects the marks on his shoulders with a small smirk.

She drew blood.

After they got back from the club last night, he went straight to bed, so now the deep scratches left by her nails had dried blood on them.

"You're gonna be the end of me, Miss Guthrie." He says to himself, satisfied with the thought of the bruises he had left on her skin too.

Would her father see them?

Even better, would Rogers see them?

A smug smirk comes to his face at that thought. Hopefully he would. For some reason Charles really wanted that idiot to see what he had done to Eleanor.

A groan comes from the couch, and amusement spreads through him as he sees Jack getting up.

"Shit. You think there's anything I can do to be back in Anne's good graces soon?" He asks with a grimace.

"When it comes to her, you're the expert... Sort of. But I think you'll be sleeping on that couch for a while." Charles answers him, still smirking.

"Keep having your fun while you can. We'll see who's gonna be smiling when the Guthrie girl starts to give you trouble too."

"She already is."

Jack scoffs.

"You haven't seen anything. Women..." He says, shaking his head with a scowl before pointing a finger at his leader. "And something tells me that one is just as much trouble as Anne. Maybe even more. So be prepared."

Charles lights a cigarette. "I can handle her."

"Speaking of which... How are things right now? Are you just having fun with her, or are you actually developing feelings for her? Though I think I know the answer already."

"She's too intriguing, Jack."

"That doesn't answer my question."

The criminal trio's leader sighs, heading to look out the window.

"You think the police's still around?"

"Oh, please. Just ask what you want to know. Ask 'Jack, do you think it's safe for me to go to the Guthrie Mansion already?'" His friend says, earning him a growl and a warning glance from Charles.

"For God's sake, keep it in your pants for a few days." Anne says gruffly, making her way into the main space of the hideout to retrieve a glass of water. "Remember our rules. Every time the police gets close we stay in hiding for at least four days."

"They weren't even there for us, Anne. It was just a fight inside the Demeter."

Charles says, still staring out the window.

"Fuck it. No one leaves the hideout. That bitch can wait for a few days."

"Good morning, darling, did you sleep well?" Jack tries, only to get an angry glare and a middle finger from Anne before she storms back inside their room.

* * *

 

"They look even worse today." Max says with a grimace, looking at the bruises on Eleanor's neck and collarbone as they slowly wake up.

The blonde simply smiles and she frowns.

"How come you always got angry at me whenever I left even the faintest hickey on your skin, but you don't mind the big ones he left?"

"Are you jealous?" She asks with a laugh and Max scoffs.

"Don't worry. You know you're still number one." Eleanor jokes and the dark skinned girl rolls her eyes, giving her friend's shoulders a light push.

"Anyway. Do you have business to take care of today?"

"Not really. Are you staying? We can spend time at the pool."

"Okay, but only if it's the one down there." Max says, pointing to the balcony. "The other one is too big."

"You got it. And thanks. I'm worried that Rogers might come over today. I don't wanna be alone with him."

"Ugh. Don't worry then. I won't let that happen." Max says as Eleanor gets out of bed, heading inside the walk-in closet to retrieve two swimsuits for them.

They quickly change and the blonde puts on a robe.

"You can go ahead to the pool. I'll just stop by my father's office to check something about the Trading Company real quick-" She's interrupted by a loud splash from the pool area, looking back and smirking as she sees that Max had already jumped from the balcony.

"...or you can just jump."

She smiles, shaking her head before getting out of her room to head to the office.

* * *

 

It was almost noon and the two young women were still talking at the pool.

Eleanor had finally given in and told Max all about Charles. About how he was the same man who had broken into the mansion a month ago. Max was completely horrified by this, of course, but calmed down after Eleanor told her about how he came to her rescue when Ned tried to force her into his car, took her to his hideout for a night and didn't try to take advantage of her. And how he had taken the risk of getting caught just so he could return her knife.

She was currently telling her friend about when he appeared in her room.

"I don't know how to explain it... I never had such a peaceful sleep." She says, leaning against the column with a distant look in her eyes, Max treading water silently in front of her. "It just... Felt so right, you know? In his arms. I had never felt so safe, so calm... So happy. Relieved. Like all my problems had just vanished." She looks back at her friend, who was raising one eyebrow with a knowing look in her eyes.

She chuckles. "Never thought I'd live to see this day."

"What do you mean?" The blonde asks with a frown.

"You're in love. Don't you see?"

Eleanor scoffs.

"I barely know him, Max."

"Still. I've never seen you like this before."

"I thought you didn't like him."

"And I don't. He's a dangerous criminal and I still think he's not good for you. But... If he's not hurting you, if he can make your nightmares go away, make you feel so safe and happy..." She shrugs. "Why are you fighting so hard against this feeling?"

"I'm not fighting anything."

"Yes, you are. Even if you don't realize it. And you know why? Because that's your first reaction to anything. To fight. You never had your father's love. You practically had to raise yourself; thank God you had Mr. Scott, but still. Growing up and having to deal with your night terrors and depression on your own had a huge impact on you. It made you strong, yes, but now you just try to fight whenever anyone shows you love. That's why no one's ever been able to win that stone heart of yours. Until now. Charles is slowly making his way into your heart, and it scares you. Because this is the first time this is happening."

Eleanor scowls. Max knows her too well. Everything she was saying was true. And she was only realizing it now.

"I don't know..." She pulls away from the column, swimming to the ladder and getting out of the water before laying down near the edge of the pool. Max swims up to it, silently staring as Eleanor raises her hand up.

The blonde watches as the sunlight filters through her fingers with a scowl, thinking about what her friend had said. They stay like this in peaceful silence for a few moments before one of the servants appears at the small gate.

"Miss Guthrie? I was looking for you. Mr. Rogers came to check up on you, he's on his way here."

"Seriously?" Max scoffs from the water and Eleanor curses under her breath, eyes widening as she touches the hickeys Charles had left.

"Shit!" She quickly gets up, running to retrieve a towel from the alcove, wrapping it around her upper body so it would cover her neck and collarbone, much to her friend's amusement.

"Will I finally meet Mr. Perfect?"

"Shut up!" The blonde says, sitting down on the edge of the pool and trying to act natural just as she hears the gate opening.

Her jaw clenches hard when the voice she was beginning to loathe reaches her ears.

"Good morning, ladies. Apologies for interrupting your girl time." He says, coming closer to the pool and Eleanor finally looks back to find his eyes on her.

"I just came to check up on you, my dear." He says with a smile, offering her his hand.

She forces a smile and accepts it, letting him pull her to her feet, instantly regretting her choice when the action brings their bodies a little too close and his hand keeps holding hers for more time than necessary.

When he finally lets go she immediately steps back, glancing at Max and seeing her biting her lip with barely contained laughter, watching them from the water.

That's what friends are for.

But two can play at this game.

With a fake smile, she turns back to Rogers. "This is Max. She's my best friend."

She tells him, pointing to the woman and causing her grin to drop as she hesitantly heads to the pool's edge.

"Ah, of course. Where are my manners? Woodes Rogers." He tells her with a smile, bending down slightly and extending his hand.

Max takes it, glancing at Eleanor as they shake hands, the two friends communicating without words.

Just from the look in her eyes, the blonde knows what she's thinking.

_How much trouble are you going to be in if I pull him inside the pool and ruin his stupid suit?_

But thankfully she doesn't, and the arrogant idiot raises back to his normal height, looking at Eleanor.

"So, at what time will your father arrive tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure. He never tells me. I haven't talked to him since Friday."

"Oh. I'll just give him a call then. There's some stuff I need to discuss with him."

Alarm bells sound in her head.

"Anything you need to discuss with him, you can discuss with me." She says, noticing as Max swims back to the other side of the pool, still watching them discreetly.

"This is something that I need to speak directly with your father, my dear."

_I'm not your fucking dear._

"Does it involve me? Or the Trading Company?"

"It involves you, yes, but no need to be worried."

"Well, if it involves me, of course I will be worried. Just tell me. What is it?"

He chuckles.

"You ask a lot of questions, don't you? It's nothing. It's just men's business. Just keep having a good time with your lovely friend while we take care of it."

_What the fuck?_

She raises her chin at him in a show of defiance but because of the movement, part of the towel drops from her neck, exposing one of the bruises Charles' lips and teeth had left. It looks really dark now, contrasting with her pale skin and immediately drawing Rogers' attention.

His eyes drop from hers to the hickey, a frown coming to his face as Eleanor feels her heart skip a beat, quickly moving to cover it again.

"What-"

"Allergies!" Max saves her, quickly swimming back to the edge of the pool and looking at Rogers. "The poor thing. There's this plant in the gardens and she's highly allergic to it. We were walking there yesterday and it accidentally touched her neck."

Rogers looks from Max to Eleanor again, eyes full of suspicion.

"I see. Well. Take care of it. We wouldn't want your beautiful skin to be marked, would we?" He asks, and the blonde has a feeling he didn't buy this "allergies" story at all. "I have some business to take care of. You two lovely ladies have a good day." He says with a nod and a forced smile.

As he leaves, Eleanor feels a weird urge to go after him, to keep him from leaving her sight.

He's up to something. She just knows it.

Somehow.

Max exhales in relief.

"God. He's insufferable."

Eleanor nods, dropping the towel to get back in the water in hopes of distracting herself.

But she's still unable to shake the weird fear settling in her stomach.

* * *

Rogers reaches his Range Rover, pulling out his phone and dialing a number as he looks back at the mansion.

"I want you to find out where Eleanor Guthrie went last night. I don't care how, just do it. And also, find out if she was involved with someone. If she slept with or kissed someone. In case it happened, I want to know the man's identity as well." He tells the person on the other side of the line before hanging up and clenching his jaw in anger.

"Allergies. You think I was born yesterday, girl?" He shakes his head, getting inside the car and watching the mansion with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"You'll belong to me, whether you like it or not. And anyone who tries to get in my way will be taken care of."

He smirks at the thought before driving off.

 

* * *

 


	14. Together

Eleanor looks through her clothes nervously.

Wednesday had arrived.

Which meant that tonight she would go to the spiritist house with Mr. Scott and Madi.

She hadn't expected to feel so anxious about it.

And something that felt weirdly like hope was rising in her chest.

Would she see anything? Remember anything?

She was already so eager.

The blonde heads to her bathroom, undressing and looking at herself in the mirror. She hadn't been sleeping too well for the past four days, and her appearance reflects that.

Would Charles really be the only way to keep her safe from the night terrors?

Slowly tracing her fingers over the fading bruises he had left on her skin, she sighs. For some reason, it bothers her that they're starting to vanish already.

And she's so worried.

She had told Max to ask around the neighborhood, to see if she could find out if Charles and his accomplices had been caught that night at the Demeter.

But apparently no one had been arrested, except for a drunken idiot who had been causing trouble inside the club.

And yet, there's a nagging fear in her heart, telling her that something's up.

Sighing, she quickly got ready for the day before heading to her father's office.

Eleanor stops at the door when she hears him talking to someone on the phone.

"...so she won't find out for now. Trust me, my daughter can be a very difficult young lady."

She frowns, staying quiet as she listens from the door, safely protected from his sight.

"Yes, I am aware that she goes to places like that club sometimes. But what can I do, Woodes? I tried to clip her wings several times already, but it never worked. Maybe you will have better luck with that."

She clenches her jaw hard, her father waiting while the idiot on the other side of the line talks.

"I trust you will be able to tame her and keep her in line. In a year or so she won't even get close to places like the Demeter."

_What?_

"Thank your private investigator for me. I really appreciate it. And thank you, Woodes. I knew I was making the right choice. You seem to have what it takes to deal with her. Hopefully soon she will be acting like the proper lady she is meant to be."

A private investigator? Had Rogers hired a private investigator to keep an eye on her activities?

It takes every ounce of her willpower not to storm into the office and demand some answers, but she stays put.

"I will start to get in touch with wedding agencies next week. Everything has to be perfect. It never hurts to start planning early. And I know that everything will go according to our plans. In a year or so, she will already be your wife."

There's a pause before he lets out a small laugh.

"Always a pleasure, Woodes. You have a good day."

He hangs up and by now she's biting her lip hard enough to taste blood.

_How dare they?_

Anger overcomes her as her mind works to replay everything her father had said.

So Rogers had hired a private investigator who had apparently found out about her visit to the Demeter last weekend.

Besides that, he and her father were already discussing wedding plans for her and the arrogant idiot without her consent.

But that was the least of her worries.

If the person Rogers hired found out she had been at the club, what else could have been discovered?

Her heart skips a beat.

_Charles._

Eleanor had obviously been too distracted to pay attention to their surroundings back at the Demeter.

She has no idea if someone saw her with him.

Was he in danger now?

Because of her?

Dread settles in her stomach as her mind starts to come up with several different scenarios that could happen. Each one worse than the other.

She needed to see him again.

She needed to alert him.

* * *

**_20 years ago_ **

**_Orphanage_ **

_"Hi. What's your name?"_

_A ten year old Jack asks the newly arrived redhead girl. He had been watching her the whole day._

_She didn't seem to like talking too much._

_The little girl had stayed away from the other kids at all times, a scowl refusing to leave her face. Maybe she was just shy._

_"Leave me alone."_

_Or maybe not._

_He shakes his head, offering her an apple._

_"I haven't seen you eat anything all day. Are you hungry?"_

_She eyes it suspiciously for a few moments before reaching out to take it from him, and Jack smiles as he watches her take a big bite._

_"There you go. How old are you?"_

_She simply holds up five fingers while still eating, and he sees bruises on her arm. It looks like someone grabbed it too roughly._

_She notices his stare, hiding her arm from his view and averting her eyes._

_They sit in silence for a moment before she speaks quietly._

_"Anne."_

_"Your name?" She nods and he smiles._

_"Nice to meet you, Anne. I'm Jack. And that boy eating at the table right there is my best friend Charles. He doesn't really care about meeting new people. That's why he didn't come here with me."_

_She nods, still holding to her injured arm._

_"Did someone hurt you, Anne?"_

_She glances at him with pained eyes, but refuses to cry or show any weakness. It looks weird for a five year old. What had happened to this girl? She was just so damaged._

_She nods once, looking down at the floor, red hair covering her eyes._

_It hurts Jack to see this little girl having to deal with so much pain._

_"Why didn't anyone protect you?"_

_"Because I have no one."_

_"Well, that's not true anymore. I'm here now and I promise I will look after you, okay? No one will ever hurt you again."_

_She looks back at him with a scowl on her face, as if not believing what she was hearing._

_He smiles in a reassuring way._

_"Don't worry, Anne. I will protect you. I promise."_

* * *

**Present Days**

_(Warning: Brief description of a child being sexually abused ahead.)_

Jack groans, trying to get comfortable on the couch to get some more sleep before finally giving up and opening his eyes to the late morning light, just as Anne gets out of their room.

She comes to the couch and stares down at it for a few moments before shoving his legs to the floor, silently sitting down on the now empty spot.

The redhead crosses her arms, staring at the wall in front of them.

After so many years together, he knows she has something important to say, and that he has to be patient. If he tries asking anything right now she will just shut him out.

So he waits.

Minutes drag by, and then her voice finally reaches his ears.

"Do you know why he did it?"

"What?" He asks, glancing over at Anne and finding her clenching her jaw, eyes filled with anger and pain.

"My uncle." She spits the word out as if it's poison on her tongue. "Do you know why he abused me?"

He watches her with eyes full of worry, feeling his heart break just like it happens every time his little brute mentions what has been done to her.

"To shut me up. He said I kept talking about pirates and an island, saying I wanted to go back there. He warned me that if I didn't stop, he would punish me. I didn't. And so the bastard went on to abuse me. Repeatedly. Until one day the neighbors got suspicious and broke into the house. They found us on the kitchen floor. I remember one of them tearing my uncle away from me while the others ran to go call the police. Then I passed out."

Jack was clenching his jaw hard, his hands balled up in fists.

All he wanted was to find that sorry excuse of a man and kill him with his own hands.

The only reason why he had never gone after him was because Anne had asked him not to. She said that if one day they found her uncle, she wanted to be the one to make him pay for what he did to her.

He swallows his anger for now, focusing on her.

"Why did you never tell me about this?"

He knew Anne had been abused as a child, of course. He heard about it at the orphanage, and she mentioned it a few times too. But she always said she didn't remember any of it.

"It was a repressed memory. I didn't remember the times he abused me. And I didn't remember that it happened because I wouldn't shut up about pirates. But after the dreams... It all came rushing back to me."

Suddenly it all becomes clear to Jack and his mouth parts, a scowl coming to his face as something clicks inside his head.

That's why she had been acting so weird and distant after the dreams. This was the reason why she let her walls down that night at the beach, during the storm. Why she had that breakdown in the car.

It wasn't because of the dreams. No. It was because of what the dreams had caused her to remember.

"Oh, Anne, I'm... I'm so sorry, darling! I had no idea-"

"Stop doing that. You had no way of knowing what was going on inside my head."

"I should've asked! I knew something was off about you, I should have..." He runs a hand through his hair in exasperation. "...Shit."

She shakes her head.

"It wouldn't change what that bastard did to me, Jack."

"I know, but... I promised I would take care of you. I should have asked what was wrong."

"You think I would've said anything?"

He sighs. She was right. Even if he had asked, she wouldn't have said anything until now. Until she was ready.

"Can you do something for me?" She asks, looking over at him.

"Anything, darling."

"Try the regression too. I want to know if you will see something."

He sighs heavily, thinking for a moment as she watches him.

"Alright. I don't believe any of this bullshit you and Charles are obsessed with, but... If it makes you happy, I'll do it." He says, reaching out to pat her hand, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

* * *

Eleanor avoids her father the whole day, not knowing if she would be able to contain her anger at him and Rogers if she saw him or heard his voice.

So she makes herself scarce until it's close to nightfall, getting into her car and driving to Mr. Scott's house.

She instantly feels relieved and happier when she gets there, his fatherly hug making her feel better.

"Did something happen?" He asks, noticing the sad glint in her eyes.

"I heard my father on the phone with Rogers this morning. The arrogant bastard hired a personal investigator to find out where I went last Saturday. And also, they are already starting to discuss wedding plans for us without my consent."

Scott clenches his jaw.

"They won't force you to do anything you don't want to. I promise."

It does little to calm her nerves but she smiles at him anyway, as Madi makes her way down the stairs.

"Eleanor!" She runs up to hug her with a smile. "Are you really coming with us tonight?"

The blonde nods.

"I'm not really sure what I'm getting myself into, but yes."

"You won't regret it. I promise." Scott says, smiling at his two girls as they make their way out of the house.

* * *

Eleanor wasn't really sure what she had been expecting. But the spiritist house was unlike anything she had imagined.

It was not an ordinary religious entity.

Most people wore white, praying, talking quietly among themselves, or simply standing by with their eyes closed, a few of them muttering unintelligibly to themselves.

_What the fuck am I doing in here?_

But as strange as the place was, she just couldn't ignore the deep sense of peace that overcame her as soon as she stepped inside.

There was an elderly woman speaking on a microphone, and Mr. Scott told her she was the director of the house.

Looking around, Eleanor sees banners covering one of the walls, displaying information about the spiritist doctrine. She keeps seeing the name Allan Kardec, but has no idea who that was. Making a mental note to ask Mr. Scott about him later, she turns around when suddenly the cries of a baby fill the main space.

There's a mother with a newborn sitting on one of the benches.

As Eleanor watches her rock the baby to sleep in her arms, the rest of the world fades away for a moment. There's that strange pull on her mind again and she scowls, shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts just as Madi points to an area surrounded by curtains. People start forming a line to go inside it.

"Dad, are we going to go receive the healing touch already? Or later?"

"Let's go now. Eleanor?" He asks, glancing back at her.

"Would you like to receive it too?"

"Healing touch?" She asks with a frown.

"It's something the mediums do. It kind of works like a blessing. They move their hands in the air over your body to help cure you from any bad things that might be close to you, or diseases. It's like a cleanup on your soul. And it feels really good, do you want to try?" Madi asks and Eleanor considers it.

"Uh, I'm okay. Maybe some other time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sorry. You two go ahead. I will wait out here."

"Take your time. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. This is a whole new world for you." Scott says with a smile, patting her shoulders before leaving with his daughter.

The blonde sighs, looking around the place and noticing an older, dark haired woman staring at her. Choosing to ignore her, she watches as Mr. Scott and Madi disappear behind the curtains, and someone touches her arm. Turning around, she sees the mother from earlier, holding her sleeping baby.

"Hi, you're new here, aren't you? You're with Scott?"

"Yes. I am." She says with a small smile.

"Wonderful, then I can trust you. Can you hold him for a little while? Just so I can go receive the healing touch?

Before she can even think of replying, the sleeping newborn is deposited in her arms and she holds her breath, looking down at him as the woman moves away from her.

While watching his peaceful little face, the tiny hands resting over his chest, the way his little mouth moved in his sleep, and feeling the small weight of his body in her arms, Eleanor feels a pang in her heart as unshed tears gather in her eyes.

For some reason, Rogers comes to her mind.

Scowling and banishing the arrogant idiot from her thoughts, she focuses on the infant.

She had never held a baby before but somehow instinct takes over, as she starts to gently shift her weight from one leg to the other, watching his face, a smile coming to her lips.

Eleanor loses track of time, and before she knows it, Scott and Madi are back.

"Hi there Noah." Madi says quietly, caressing the baby's head. "It's a shame he's asleep. Isn't he cute?" She asks and the blonde nods softly, eyes still not leaving the baby.

"His mom is a friend of mine. A single mother. But she's doing perfectly fine." Scott says, watching with interest as Eleanor gently rocks the newborn in her arms. That's something he never thought he would see.

When the mother comes back, the blonde is snapped out of whatever spell she had been under as the other woman thanks her and takes the baby back from her arms, causing her to feel a weird sense of loss.

It hurts.

But the feeling was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

Half an hour later, she finds herself in a small room at the back of the spiritist house, Scott and Madi with her. Two mediums, including the dark haired woman from earlier, were staring at them.

"...and that's why I brought her here. I believe there's something from a previous life that she needs to make peace with. She wanted to try and find out more about it."

The woman sits down in front of Eleanor and starts to move her hands in the air over her body, eyes unfocused and occasionally rolling back into her head. She was in trance.

The blonde looks back at Mr. Scott and he smiles reassuringly at her.

Suddenly the woman speaks.

And it sends a shiver down Eleanor's spine.

Earlier, when they went to talk to her, she had heard her speak. Her voice was ordinary and she didn't have a weird accent.

But now, the voice was a lot deeper, and had an exotic accent that she couldn't recognize.

"What happened back then - It haunts you to this day. You made all sorts of wrong choices. You were lost. But this is a new life. A new world. Do not let him destroy you again. Your death - Your birthmark is a reminder of it, but do not be fooled. You were already slowly dying, each day you spent trying to be something you were not. In truth, you were doomed from the moment you let him die."

"What do you mean?"

"You got on a path you were not supposed to take. That led to your destruction. You made all the wrong choices. You wanted to destroy a part of yourself you thought you didn't need, wished you didn't need. You wished you didn't need him. But you cannot extinguish such an important piece of your soul. Now, you have the chance to make the same choice again. It's a new life. A new world. So do not let that man destroy you once more. Choose the right path this time. Listen to your heart, Eleanor." She goes silent, heading back to the other medium while muttering to herself.

After they leave the spiritist house, she's even more confused.

"I thought I was going to see something."

"You don't always see in the first time." Madi tells her, moving a reassuring hand to her shoulder.

"She's right, Eleanor. But there was progress already. At least now you know you have a choice to make. Be careful. Remember the things she said. Do what your heart tells you." Mr. Scott says and she nods. He smiles at the two women. "Now. How about I take my two girls out to eat something?"

* * *

Later, at the hideout, Charles checks the time with a smirk.

It's close to midnight.

Putting on his leather jacket, he heads to the front door, catching Jack's attention.

"Where are you going?"

"It's officially been four days since the police went to the Demeter. We can leave the hideout now."

"That doesn't answer my question."

He says and Charles just raises an eyebrow. Jack sighs.

"As if I even need to ask. Go ahead then, Romeo. Have a good night." He says with a shake of his head, a small smile escaping him nonetheless.

A smirk tugs at the corners of Charles' lips. "I intend to."

* * *

Eleanor steps out of the shower, quickly drying her hair and body before putting on a nightgown that reached to her thighs, just enough to hide her scars.

The blonde looks at herself in the mirror and rubs her eyes.

She had been able to distract herself with Mr. Scott and Madi tonight, but now her worries were coming back.

Sighing heavily, she leans back against the wall, eyes closed, taking a shuddering breath.

She misses him.

Misses the calmness she feels when she's in his arms.

And she's so fucking worried.

What if the private investigator found out about Charles?

What if Rogers went afer him?

A thousand thoughts run through her head, that familiar feeling of the night terrors approaching, mixed with worries about the arranged marriage her father was planning.

And besides, the things she heard tonight at the spiritist house were making her feel anxious for some reason.

She feels the night terrors starting to take her over, coming even stronger tonight due to everything she was feeling.

Who knows, maybe a panic attack will also be in store for her tonight.

Shit, she really didn't want to be alone right now.

Images of his hanging body flash through her mind, her eyes snapping open in horror, and as always she tries to prepare herself mentally as best as possible to plunge into despair.

But then...

A noise coming from her room catches her attention.

The knob of her balcony's door turning?

Hope sparks in her chest. Could it be?

Half expecting it to be just her imagination, Eleanor quickly heads out the bathroom door, eyes immediately going to her balcony.

And relief spreads through her.

He's here. He's safe.

Charles steps inside and closes the door behind him, eyes darkening when he sees Eleanor standing there watching him, in nothing but a revealing nightgown.

He starts heading over to her with purposeful steps and she meets him halfway, reveling in the feeling of his strong arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her flush against his body, leather and jeans meeting soft satin and skin as he crashes his lips against hers. His hands move over her back as hers go to his hair.

All her worries, fears and night terrors from just a minute ago feel more and more far away each second as he kisses her, allowing her to taste more of that highly addicting passion that only he could offer.

There's nowhere else she'd rather be right now.

But as happy as she is, there's still important matters they need to discuss.

So she reluctantly breaks their kiss, breathing heavily as she looks up at him.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"Whatever it is, it can wait." He says in a low tone before unexpectedly picking her up, her legs going around his hips instinctively as he crosses the small distance to her bed, half dropping, half throwing her on it, stepping back to admire the view.

Her eyes darken and something comes over her as she moves to get up on her knees on the mattress, reaching for him.

A smirk tugs at his lips while she takes his leather jacket off, letting it drop to the floor before moving to kiss him again, his hands moving underneath the short nightgown to feel her warm skin.

Once she manages to strip him of his shirt too he kicks off his shoes, pushing her back into the mattress and crawling on top of her body with a predatory look in his eyes.

It sets her blood on fire.

It has been a few years since the last time Eleanor was with a man.

Hell, coming to think of it, she had never been with a real man.

Only two boys during her high school years, and they barely knew what they were doing.

After that, she only slept with women.

She had no idea why.

His teeth graze a breast through the thin satin of the nightgown, causing a surge of heat to travel down her body, settling at the apex of her thighs.

Lifting his head to look at her, Charles finds her staring at him with wide, curious eyes and his control snaps, a low growl escaping him as he bites down at her neck, hard, a surprised whimper leaving her lips.

"You won't escape me this time, Miss Guthrie." His deep voice and words send shivers down her spine, that fire burning stronger inside both of them as he lifts her slightly, moving to pull the nightgown over her head.

And she remembers the scars.

"Wait-"

He groans.

"Seriously? Now that no one's here to interrupt us you'll do it yourself?"

A nervous laugh escapes her.

"It's not that, it's just... You know I have depression issues and..."

"What is it?"

She bites her lower lip for a moment before looking up at him.

"Have you ever heard about self harm?"

Realization dawns on him. Looks like Eleanor is even more damaged than he thought.

"Where?"

"My thighs." She says in a quiet voice.

He doesn't say another word, surprising her when he just resumes what he had been doing before, pulling the nightgown over her head.

"Fucking gorgeous." He says, admiring her naked body before his eyes settle on the various scars.

Her breath catches as he traces a few of them with his fingers.

Charles knows this would be crossing a line. This simple gesture would turn what was supposed to be just sex into something so much more intimate.

But he doesn't give a shit.

His lips travel down her stomach, kissing, biting, coming to her thighs before he proceeds to kiss some of her scars.

Looking back up at Eleanor, he finds her watching him with unshed tears in eyes, though she quickly hides them.

_Enough of this sentimental trash._

A wicked glint comes to his eyes, hands parting her legs as his mouth leaves the scars, unceremoniously settling between her thighs and she exhales sharply in surprise, his lips, tongue and fingers giving her pleasure she had never felt before.

"Oh my God." Her breathy voice will be his end. He just knows it.

All the hesitancy from earlier seems to have vanished, her hands flying to his hair, sometimes holding him in place, other times guiding him, though she rarely needs to. Somehow, he seems to know exactly what she likes and what she wants.

It's almost as if he has already learned her body before.

Within minutes she's breathless, squirming in pleasure under the talented ministrations of his tongue and fingers.

She gasps out his name, suddenly finding herself about to fall over that wonderful edge and he notices, doubling his efforts. It doesn't take more than a few seconds before she comes undone with a strangled moan of his name, hands tightening in his hair as he slowly brings her down from her high before kissing and nipping his way back up to her chest and neck, meeting her eyes.

She smiles briefly at him, legs coming to wrap around his hips as she lifts her head to whisper in his ear.

"Need you."

Any self control he had left disappears and he pulls back, quickly discarding his jeans and underwear before leaning down to meet her lips, her nails digging into his arms as he enters her in one swift move, both groaning at the feeling.

When he starts moving inside her, pain and pleasure mix together in the most perfect way and her nails leave red marks on his back as a whimper escapes her.

"You okay?" He pauses for a second and she gives him a murderous look, her legs around his hips urging him deeper.

"Don't you dare be gentle with me."

He's perfectly happy to meet her demands, hips rocking in perfect synchrony with hers, her breathy gasps and moans echoing through the room.

It all feels just so damn right.

Their eyes lock, a deep bond between them that neither really understands forming, this primitive connection bringing them closer together, and in this moment, they don't care about anything else. It's just the two of them, nothing else exists, nothing else matters. For a perfect moment, they're in peace. Only for a moment.

And soon a battle begins.

They don't really understand where it comes from but suddenly there's a competitive atmosphere between them, a glint coming to their eyes as their movements become harsher and harsher, and Eleanor somehow stops holding back, moans getting louder and louder, along with Charles' breathy grunts

Thank God her father's suite is located on the other side of the mansion.

He suddenly changes the angle of his thrusts, hitting that sweet spot inside her and causing her to breathe out his name as she desperately tries to keep up, giving as good as she gets.

Neither can hold on for much longer, and he finally lowers his mouth to her ear.

"Come for me." His words and soft bite to her earlobe do her in.

"Charles!" She grunts out, sharp nails digging on the skin of his back, riding the waves of her second climax and pulling him with her, his deep, breathy voice calling out her name against her neck.

The room goes silent once more, except for their heavy breathing and he rolls off her, both trying to catch their breath, the moonlight illuminating them.

She slowly looks over at him, a small stubborn smile tugging at her lips.

His eyes meet hers, strong arms pulling her to his body and she sighs in satisfaction.

Minutes drag by, their hearts finally starting to slow down, and his voice cuts the silence.

"What was it?"

She frowns in confusion, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Hmm?"

"When I arrived. You said there was something you needed to tell me. What was it?" He asks, fingers rubbing small circles on her hip.

"Oh. That." She shifts, pulling away from him to be able to meet his gaze better.

"I heard my father on the phone with Woodes Rogers this morning." An angry growl leaves him when she mentions the name and she smiles. "I know. Anyway. I discovered he hired a private investigator to find out where I went last Saturday. And the person did find out I went to the Demeter. So now I'm worried about you."

"Why is that?"

"Well... What if someone saw us together at the back of the club? What if now Rogers knows about you? What if he goes after you?"

Charles sighs, pulling Eleanor back into his chest as he runs a hand through her hair.

"No one besides my accomplices and your friend saw us."

"How can you be so sure?"

He smirks.

"After spending so many years as a criminal, I'm well trained. As... distracting as you are..." He runs his fingers down her naked back, causing her to shiver. "...I was paying attention to our surroundings at all times. The only reason Jack managed to sneak up on us was because he's good at that. But everyone else at that club was drunk as fuck, they would have made a lot more noise if they went out there." He tells her.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not stupid, Eleanor. I know that people know your face in this city. It wouldn't be good for me if anyone saw us together. I can't afford to draw attention to myself. There's a reason why my accomplices and I have never been caught. We're careful."

Realization dawns on her suddenly and she looks up at him again.

"You and your two accomplices... You're that unstoppable criminal trio, aren't you?"

He watches her face for a few seconds.

"I hope you know that if you don't keep your mouth shut about this, I will have to kill you." his hand goes to her neck, squeezing softly before letting go and she scoffs.

"Please. There's no way I'll help Rogers. He's been after you three for years. And I want to keep it that way."

He nods, and she pulls away from him to sit up in bed, reaching for the covers. It was starting to get cold. Pulling them over their bodies, she hesitates for a moment before he just reaches for her.

"Come here." His deep voice whispers as he pulls her to his chest again, arms surrounding her protectively.

This is paradise.

She smiles into his skin, sighing happily.

"There's something else, isn't there? About that phone call."

How does he always manage to read her like that?

"My father will start getting in touch with wedding agencies next week. He told Rogers that in a year I will already be his wife."

A low growl leaves Charles, his arms tightening around Eleanor and pulling her impossibly closer to him. "We'll see about that."

"I won't let it happen." She says quietly, burying her face in his chest.

Minutes drag by until she looks at him again, finding him eyeing the balcony's door and her chest tightens.

"You're gonna leave already?"

His eyes meet hers, one hand brushing her hair out of her face.

"Not until just before sunrise."

She lowers her head to hide her smile, but another thought comes to her mind.

"You won't come back after tonight, will you? Now that you finally got what you wanted."

He lifts her chin to look at her face.

"You got some serious abandonment issues, don't you?" She shrugs and he sighs. "After having this taste of you... I don't think I'd be able to stay away from your bed for too long, even if I wanted to."

A small laugh escapes her.

"If you say so." She notices his fingers are tracing her birthmark.

"I saw it earlier. Were you born with it?" She nods, looking up at his face, and something on his neck catches her attention. Frowning, she pushes herself up on her elbows, reaching to brush her fingers over the faint mark around his neck, flashes of his hanging body coming to her mind and causing her heart to clench.

"You have one too." She says, unable to keep her voice from breaking.

He nods, watching her pained face, one hand caressing her arm.

"Isn't it weird? I was having a nightmare about you being hanged that night. And this looks like some sort of scar from-"

"Eleanor." He interrupts and she meets his gaze. "In the nightmare... Was I standing on some sort of cart?"

Surprise flickers through her eyes.

"Yeah. There were some men... When they gave the order, it moved and you stepped off it, and then-" Much to her annoyance, her voice breaks again and she lets her head drop to his chest. It's too painful to talk about this. "How did you know?"

He hesitates before running a hand through her blonde locks, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh. "A few days ago, I had this... Hallucination, I don't know what it was. But I was standing on a cart, surrounded by a crowd, you-" He says, squeezing her arm a bit too roughly while trying to contain the sudden resentment and anger towards her. "...were watching from a distance. You were wearing this ancient looking dress, and the crowd... Their clothes weren't modern either. I remember stepping off the cart when it moved, remember the rope around my neck strangling me. I felt it. When I came back to reality, my birthmark hurt like hell."

"Mine hurt too, twice, a few days ago." She tells him with a frown. "What's going on, Charles?"

He sighs. "Wish I knew."

She sighs too, moving her arm to rest over his chest, fingers tracing the birthmark around his neck while he caressed the one on her stomach, both deep in thought.

Not wanting her to worry about all this tonight, he tries distracting her from the subject.

"Is your father's room close to yours?"

She shakes her head.

"It's on the other side of the mansion. Before I was born, his and my mother's suite was just down this corridor, and my nursery was here. But my mother died giving birth to me and he blamed me for her death. So he hired a nanny to keep an eye on me during the night and moved as far away from my nursery as he could."

Charles clenches his jaw, holding her closer without even realizing it.

How could a father be so cold towards his newborn daughter? Guess now he knows where her abandonment issues come from.

His deeply buried anger towards his own parents attack him for a moment.

They abandoned him, just like Richard abandoned Eleanor. The only difference was that they left him on the orphanage's doorstep as a newborn.

"Why did you ask?"

He looks down to meet her eyes, smug smirk tugging at his lips.

"Just checking. Thought he might have heard you. You were making a lot of noise earlier, Miss Guthrie." He teases and she scoffs.

"You weren't exactly silent either."

"What can I do?" He says and she hides her smiling face in his chest, closing her eyes for a moment and reveling in the feeling of his embrace, his oddly familiar scent and his warmth.

"What time is it?"

He looks out to the sky.

"About 2 and a half in the morning."

"This skill of yours is so strange. Have you ever been a sailor of some sort?"

"No. I just had this since I was a child."

She nods, fingers tracing the muscles of his abdomen.

"No night terrors tonight?"

"They were about to come, earlier. But then you showed up-" She stops herself from saying the rest, and he pulls slightly on her hair to make her look up at him.

"Did I drive them away?"

"I suppose." She answers, averting his eyes and he lets go of her hair, allowing her to lower her head again.

"Good." He says simply and they go silent, minutes dragging by as they lay there, breathing softly, bodies pressed close together.

Her eyelids start to feel heavy, the events of the day finally taking their toll on her.

"Go to sleep, Eleanor." He says, one hand moving to caress her hair.

Too tired to fight, she simply nods, closing her eyes with a satisfied sigh and letting his reassuring heartbeat lull her to a deep, peaceful sleep in his embrace.


	15. The Investigator

A sudden loss of warmth wakes Eleanor up and she opens her eyes with a scowl, seeing Charles buttoning his jeans before sitting on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes, and she notices the first streaks of dawn in the sky when she looks at the balcony's glass door.

She reaches for him, touching his back, satisfied to see the red marks her nails left all over it last night. He looks at her over his shoulder.

"Do you have to?" She asks quietly, unable to stop the question and he gives her a weak smile, turning around and taking her hand in his.

"You know I do."

She nods and they watch each other in silence for a moment.

"Can you come over again tonight?"

"I can try. You know I have to be careful."

"Yeah." She says, sitting up in bed and moving to kiss him briefly.

His arms come around her, thumbs caressing her waist.

"Eleanor, what you told me last night. About Rogers' private investigator. I need you to find out if the person is still watching you. Can you do that for me?"

She nods, fingers tracing his jawline.

"Is there any way I can contact you?"

"Give me your phone."

She pulls away from him, getting her phone from her bedside table and handing it to him.

His jaw clenches when he turns it on.

"You got a text."

She frowns, moving to his side to look at the screen. It was a text from last night. Rogers asking when she would be available. Saying he needed to talk to her about something important.

She sighs, leaning back against the pillows and pulling the covers over her head while Charles saves his number in her phone.

"I hate him." Eleanor says, getting up from the bed to put on her bathrobe before returning to take her phone, setting it on the bedside table again.

"My number is saved as 'C'. Leave it this way, alright? Don't type my name. And don't let anyone see it."

She nods, a smile escaping her as he pulls her on his lap.

"Call me if you need me. And if that idiot ever tries anything with you, let me know and I will come immediately."

She kisses him, what was meant to be a just a chaste kiss quickly becoming more urgent, that oddly familiar fire starting to burn between them again.

But Charles gets a hold on himself. He really needs to leave. It's getting lighter and lighter outside, and he knows that soon enough there will be servants arriving and moving around the mansion.

He eyes the knife on her bedside table before meeting her gaze, his thumb caressing her chin.

"Next time I come here, I will teach you how to use that thing. No discussion."

A smile tugs at her lips and she nods at him.

He moves her out of his lap before getting up and putting on his shirt and leather jacket, making his way to the balcony's door.

She gets up, heading for him and letting him pull her into his embrace.

"Close the curtains. You need to get some more sleep."

"I don't know if I can. But I will try."

"Good girl." He says, smirking at the way one of her eyebrows rises.

Something tells him he will have a lot of fun annoying her.

He gives her one last kiss, her hands holding on to the collar of his jacket while he caresses her back through the bathrobe.

Regretfully breaking the kiss, she opens the balcony's door and he quickly makes his way down to the pool area, running to the railing of the staircase and using it to jump on the wall while Eleanor looks around nervously , praying no one will come here and see him.

When he finally disappears behind the wall, safely leaving the mansion grounds, she breathes a sigh of relief.

However, there's also a sense of loss lingering. Does she miss him already?

Shaking her head, she goes back inside, closing the balcony's door and the curtains before laying down in bed to try and get some more sleep.

* * *

"So?" Jack asks from the couch as soon as Charles makes his way inside the hideout's main space. "Did you finally get what you wanted from the Guthrie girl?"

Charles ignores the question. "I thought you had worked things out with Anne."

Jack grimaces. "We talked. That doesn't mean she let me back into our bedroom yet. But she will, soon enough."

"Good luck with that."

He lights a cigarette while his accomplice watches him from the couch.

"You slept with her. Didn't you?"

"It's none of your business."

Jack chuckles.

"You did."

Silence stretches for a few minutes.

"I just hope now you'll let her go and forget about this whole thing."

Charles turns to face him, eyes full of warning.

"I'm just saying. If you keep seeing her, it can only end in disaster."

"That's my problem, isn't it?" Charles growls before heading inside his room and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Rogers gets up from the chair, going to the glass wall of the skyscraper to watch the city below. His phone rings and he picks it up, seeing it's the private investigator.

"What did you find?"

"It was easy finding out she went to the Demeter. But as for your other request, I was unable to find out if she was with someone." The woman on the other side of the line answers. "And I also found out she went to a spiritist house yesterday with two other people."

"Spiritist house? What on earth is that?"

"It's like a church of sorts, I think. I'm not familiar with this religion."

"And who was with her?"

"Two dark skinned people. The man works for Richard Guthrie. He is one of the security men at the mansion. And the girl is his daughter."

"I see. Keep doing your job. Thank you, Mrs. Hudson. Oh, and remember, If you find anything at all that may suggest she is involved with someone, tell me immediately, as well as the identity of the person."

"I will. Anytime she goes somewhere, you will know."

"That's the way it's supposed to be. Soon enough she will be my wife. So she better get used to this."

"I'll let you know if I make any further progress. Have a good day, Sir."

"You too, Mrs. Hudson." He hangs up, surprised to see the text he had just received.

_"Apologies for not replying sooner. I was too tired last night. What is it you want to talk to me about?"_

He raises an eyebrow, typing in a reply.

_"So you finally decided to start answering my texts, Miss Guthrie? What changed? I believe this is something we need to discuss in person, my dear. Can we meet today?"_

He waits for a few moments before her message arrives.

_"We can. If you can come over. Some issues came up with the Trading Company. My father is unable to solve them, so I'm taking care of it."_

He scoffs. Such inappropriate behavior for a woman. Handling her father's business like that.

_It will surely be difficult to tame you. But I do love a challenge._ He thinks, typing in his reply.

_"Of course, my lady. I will be there in a couple hours."_

He sends the message, a smug smirk coming to his lips.

* * *

"I still think this won't work." Jack says, laying down on the couch and Anne rolls her eyes.

"Shut up and concentrate. You have to relax and follow the instructions from the video. You'll go into a trance and then you'll start seeing flashes and images from the previous life."

"Whatever you say, darling." He says, closing his eyes as the instructions start to come from the video.

He tries two times and fails to go into trance, but on the third time Anne gets her knife, eyes filled with warning.

"You're not trying hard enough. If it doesn't work this time, I'm gonna castrate you!"

His eyes widen slightly, staring at the knife and then back at her face before he sighs, closing his eyes as the instructions start again.

And this time he feels a pull at his mind, his body heavy as he gives in to it, soon opening his eyes to the deck of a pirate ship.

_He's not in control of his own actions, climbing up a set of stairs and joining Charles as the long haired man stares out at the ocean, a distant look in his eyes._

_"Are you going to tell me what happened with her?"_

_"Fuck off, Jack." He says simply, and a few moments drag by before he sighs._

_"I don't know what happened. I went to her and she wouldn't let me touch her. Then she just said things were over between us." He says, his eyes filling with anger. "She didn't want to. I fucking saw it in her eyes. She was close to tears. Must have been Scott. He hated to see his precious girl with me."_

_He pauses, taking a drag from his cigar before continuing. "He must have put something in her head. She kept saying some nonsense about how things between us could never work and that she would have to sacrifice our relationship for a greater good."_

_"Come on. You know how she is. She doesn't let anyone put ideas in her head. I have no doubt Scott said something, sure, but that wasn't what caused her to make this decision. She chose to do this on her own."_

_Charles clenches his jaw, anger evident in every muscle of his body._

_"I'll get her back. This isn't over."_

_"I don't think you should. Maybe this is happening for a reason. Have you thought about it like that? Just forget about this, Charles. Please. Let Eleanor Guthrie go."_

A snapping sound brings him back to reality suddenly, and he finds Anne staring at him expectantly.

"So?"

He frowns. "Alright, that was strange."

"What was strange?" Charles asks, emerging from his room.

"I just tried the regression thing." He says, looking from Anne to their leader with a scowl on his face. "I was talking to you, Charles. There was a ship, we were in the middle of the ocean. Talking about Eleanor Guthrie. Apparently, she had just broken things up with you and you said you would get her back. I advised you to just let her go and then I woke up."

"See? I told you this shit was real." Anne says, staring at her knife, the two men looking at her. "I'm so fucking close to remembering. Everything. I feel it in my bones. And I will." She gets up, ignoring Jack's protests. "I'll go have another regression. Don't even think about interrupting me."

The redhead disappears behind the curtains of the room and Jack sighs, rubbing his eyes.

"She's obsessed."

* * *

The door to her father's office opens and she looks up from her work, seeing a servant holding it as that arrogant idiot comes in, thanking the woman before she closes the door again, leaving them alone.

Ignoring the dread that settles in her stomach, Eleanor lifts her chin at him.

"So? What did you want to talk to me about?"

He smiles, heading over to sit down on one of the chairs in front of her father's desk.

"Straight to the point. I like that." He says and she resists the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, anyway. I trust you know what my intentions are with you." She nods, a slight frown coming to her face. "Good. I figured it's time we stop dancing around this situation and set things straight between us. You're a smart woman, and I'm sure you can see that this will only bring benefits for you. I have great wealth, a really nice position in this city, and just got divorced. Which means I already have a certain level of experience with marriage. And I feel this is something highly needed by the man you choose as your husband."

She frowns at him, leaning back on the chair and crossing her arms, regarding him with her chin lifted in defiance.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are a difficult woman, Eleanor. I'm sure you know that. But with the right partner, with me to guide you, I know you can get better."

"You mean with you to mold me into a submissive housewife who does as you say, right?"

"You don't have to see it that way. That's not what I want to do at all."

Liar. She sees it in his eyes.

"All I'm saying..." He continues, getting up quickly and making his way around the desk to stand beside her chair, causing her to tense immediately. "...is that I have experience with married life, which means you will have me to guide you and teach you. What more can you ask for?"

"Have you ever considered that I don't want to get married at all?"

He scoffs.

"What woman doesn't want to get married? And you have a golden opportunity here." He says with a charming smile.

It makes her skin crawl.

"Your father is already contacting wedding agencies. And you can take care of everything. Anything you want, it's yours. I will give you the wedding of your dreams. You can even choose our honeymoon spot. Anywhere. It will be perfect. I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

Panic slowly spreads through her as he caresses her cheek and she inhales sharply, quickly getting up and making her way to a window, staring out at the gardens.

"Look, I... I need some time. Okay?"

Rogers sighs, stopping a few feet from her.

"Be honest with me, Eleanor. Is there someone in your life?"

Charles comes to her mind.

_Yes._

"No. I just- This is all so new to me, I..."

"You're scared. I understand. You're still too young. But that's why I'm here. To guide you. You don't have to be afraid of me, Eleanor. I promise I will always treat you with nothing but respect."

For some reason, she feels the urge to scoff at that, but controls herself, tensing at the sound of his footsteps coming closer to her.

She can't believe it, but his hands come up to rest on her shoulders, massaging them for a moment before she turns around, quickly stepping away from the window.

He was smart, trying to corner her like that between the wall and his body.

But she's smarter, and quick to react.

Her shoulders feel heavy, and she's disgusted.

"I think you should leave. I have work to do with the Company. We can talk about this some other time."

He clenches his jaw but nods, forcing a smile before heading for the door.

Just as he opens it, she remembers Charles' request.

"Rogers?"

He turns to her, eyebrow raised in question.

"Yes, my dear?"

"I heard my father on the phone with you. Why did you hire a private investigator to keep an eye on me?"

He smirks.

"You're smarter than I give you credit for, aren't you?"

_You can bet I am._

"I must say, this situation makes me really uncomfortable. Is that how you expect to earn my trust? By spying on me?"

"It's not spying, Eleanor. I'm doing this for your own safety."

This time she can't control herself, scoffing at him.

"I mean it. Think of the private investigator as some kind of guardian angel, alright? She won't watch you at all times, if you go somewhere too dangerous, she will merely find out and report back to me. So I can warn you to avoid going there again."

Bingo. She found out what Charles wanted to know, without even having to ask.

Really satisfied with herself, though still really angry, she lifts her chin at him.

"Have a good day, Rogers."

He sighs. "You too, my lady. You too."

* * *

Nightfall comes quickly and Eleanor fills her bathtub, wanting to relax for a while. Her whole body feels tense after the stressful day she had.

Between Rogers' advances and the problems with the Trading Company, she feels ready to explode.

And she knows it's irrational, and maybe even a bit childish, but her shoulders feel dirty and heavy ever since the arrogant idiot touched them.

She gets into the warm water of the bathtub, sighing at the feeling.

It helps her relax, but it's not enough.

She stays in there with her eyes closed and listening to classic music until the water starts to get cold.

After drying herself and putting on her bathrobe, she checks her phone, a smile coming to her face as she forgets how tired she feels.

_"C: Leave your balcony's door unlocked."_

She quickly heads to the glass door, unlocking it and laying down in bed to read a book while she waited for him.

Around half an hour later, the door opens and he steps in, closing it as well as the thick curtains behind him.

She smiles when he looks over at her, eyes darkening at the sight of her in the bathrobe, in bed.

Setting the book aside, she sits up as he comes over to the bed before sitting beside her.

They watch each other's faces, a silent, unspoken challenge between them.

Finally, he gives up, leaning to kiss her lips briefly.

"You look stressed. What happened?"

"Woodes Rogers happened." She says with a groan and he tenses, jaw clenching and anger flickering in his eyes. "What did the idiot do?"

She proceeds to tell him all about the conversation they had at her father's office and he listens in disbelief, anger and what she's pretty sure is jealousy.

"What the fuck's the matter with these people?" He asks, referring to Rogers and her father.

"I've no idea."

He shakes his head, staring at a wall.

"But hey," She says, moving closer and touching his arm. "I did what you asked me to do. About the private investigator."

"You didn't ask the actual question, right? He could get suspicious." He says, watching her closely and she scoffs.

"I'm not stupid, Charles. I told him the truth, that I heard my father on the phone with him while they talked about it."

"And?"

"And he said some bullshit about how he did it for my own safety, but then told me that she doesn't watch me all the time. That she will just find out whenever I go somewhere dangerous and report to him. It was pretty easy to tear the answers I wanted from him, without even having to ask."

His eyes fill with pride for a moment before he masks it.

"Do you think we can trust what he said?"

"He wasn't lying. I don't know how, but I just saw it in his eyes."

He nods. "I asked you to find out about this because I was worried about the investigator seeing me come inside your room. That's why I closed the curtains tonight. It was a really big mistake of ours last night, to leave them open. Anyone could have seen us."

"I thought about it too. But I'm sure no one did. Because otherwise, my father would have given me hell today, and probably would have forced me into marriage with that idiot right away." She tries to chuckle to mask her feelings, but it comes out in a sad, weak way.

He scowls briefly. "Try not to think about that. You won't have to marry him. We'll find a way." He says, immediately regretting the words.

She frowns, looking up to meet his eyes.

"We?"

He sighs heavily. "I'm willing to help. That's all."

"Why? Why do you care? You barely know me."

"That may be true. But I see something in you, Eleanor. There's a fire inside you, and it's unlike anything I've ever seen before. It would be a shame to let that idiot extinguish it. I still remember the first time I saw you. You just walked out into the pool area, not caring about the danger. Even when I pushed you against that wall, put a knife to your throat, you simply refused to be afraid of me. That was the last thing I expected."

She frowns at his words. For some reason, she just thinks that wasn't the first time they saw each other.

Images of a camp at some beach flash through her mind, makeshift tents scattered everywhere while men in strange clothes moved around.

She clears her thoughts, looking back up at him.

"I can handle it. I'll get out of this mess."

"You may need some help."

"All I need help with..." She begins, moving to straddle his lap with a smirk."...is forgetting about the way that idiot touched me today."

He hums in approval when she kisses him, but as soon as her words register, he pulls away with a frown.

"He touched you?" His grip tightens on her waist and she raises her eyebrows.

"Jealous?"

"Answer me, Eleanor. What did he do?"

She sighs. "It's nothing. He touched my cheek, then when I put some space between us he got close to me again, put his hands on my shoulders, and started to massage them. But only for a second. I was quick to push him away."

Relief flashes through his eyes, but then he seems to be worried about something.

"What?" She asks, hands gripping the collar of his leather jacket.

"What did you feel?" She frowns. "When Rogers touched you. What did you feel?"

"Honestly? I was disgusted. My shoulders still feel heavy. It's fucking uncomfortable."

He chuckles briefly, shaking his head before moving her out of his lap. She protests for a moment before he turns her around on the bed, his hands coming to her shoulders and then she understands, a small smile coming to her face.

"That's so much better." She sighs, closing her eyes while his hands massage her shoulders, slowly removing the unpleasant feeling Rogers' touch had left behind, and also relieving the tension that the last few days had left in her muscles.

"Fuck, you're so tense." He says, close to her ear and she lets out a brief, hollow laugh.

"No shit."

His hands feel like paradise, strong, sure fingers pressing in, slowly working out the knots in her neck and shoulders.

She can't help but melt against his touch, eyes falling closed as she breathes out, goosebumps raising on her skin when he moves his hands underneath the bathrobe, their warmth helping her relax even further.

Eleanor loses track of time, simply enjoying the moments of peace and relaxation he's so kindly giving her.

It's just what she needs.

Her eyes are still closed when Charles brings one of his hands back to her neck, the movements growing softer and slower until it finally stops, thumb tracing soothing circles behind her ear, the other hand resting on her shoulder.

She sighs deeply, amazed at how different she feels now, all the discomfort that had been plaguing her for the past few weeks, maybe even months, had simply disappeared.

Vanished under his touch.

She opens her eyes a little when the hand on her shoulder slowly moves to the front of her body, slipping beneath the bathrobe to the valley of her breasts, causing goosebumps to erupt on her skin again.

A breathy sigh escapes her when she feels his lips touch the delicate skin between her neck and her shoulder, nipping softly, his free hand moving to untie the bathrobe while the other closes around a breast, squeezing softly, and her body grows weak with lust as it recalls how intense their bond was the previous night.

She tries turning around to face him, to gain some sort of control but his arm around her waist keeps her trapped, completely at his mercy.

Before she can decide if she likes this or not, his hand settles between her thighs and she gasps at the feeling, her eyes falling closed as his brilliant, clever fingers move against her, his lips hot on her neck.

This is intoxicating. She's never felt so wanted before.

Just like last night, he seems to know exactly what to do, exactly what she likes. It's weird, really. Not even the women she's been with knew how to pleasure her so well like this.

But Charles makes her breathless so easily.

It's like he's so familiar with her body.

She lets her head drop back against his shoulder, breath catching when his fingers pick up their pace.

"Please, just..." Her voice is breathy and quiet, and he understands what she wants, thankfully deciding not to tease her this time.

Within seconds they are free from the clothes and the bath robe, both groaning in satisfaction when he easily slides inside her.

He watches her face for a moment, keeping still while she rocks on his lap, a frustrated whimper escaping her lips as she scowls at him.

She'll definitely be the death of him.

Finally starting to move inside her, he revels in the way she breathes out his name, nails digging into the skin of his shoulder.

A small smile tugs at her lips for a second before she meets his eyes.

And that weirdly familiar bond from last night forms between them again.

The faint light from her bedside table lamp illuminates them, allowing them to see each other's eyes, to communicate without words as they move against each other, their ragged breathing filling the room.

One of his hand come to her hair, pulling it to make her angle her head back before proceeding to suck a mark on her exposed neck.

Her hands grip his hair before she begins to move faster against him, the criminal eagerly responding, his hips picking up their pace, silently challenging her as her mouth parts in pleasure.

"Charles... Fuck..." Her voice is urgent and he chuckles against her neck.

She smacks his shoulder.

"Fuck you-" Her words are cut off when the waves of her climax crash over her suddenly, surprise filling her chest as she clings to him, calling out his name.

He follows her almost immediately, hands gripping her waist tightly.

They rock against each other lazily for a few moments, drawing out their pleasure before she meets his eyes, unable to contain her small, brief smile before they collapse back into the bed.

She swallows, breathing heavily as a smile comes to her lips. This just keeps getting better and better.

Sitting up, she pulls the covers over their bodies, wordlessly laying back down, a happy sigh escaping her when his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her to his body.

"Before you ask... I will stay until just before dawn."

She smiles into his skin.

"And it's still kinda early right now. So you'll be spending more time here, not just a few hours."

He chuckles briefly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"What else did you do today? Besides pushing Rogers away."

She lets out a small laugh, not failing to recognize the pride in his voice when he said that last part.

"Just solved a few issues with the Trading Company. My father couldn't take care of it, so as always, it all fell down on my lap."

"No wonder you were so tense then."

She hums in response, fingers tracing his chest and abdomen.

"Thank you, by the way. I feel a lot better now."

She feels him nod briefly, drawing patterns on her shoulder with his fingers.

She scoffs silently.

"What is it?"

"And to think my father said he'll forbid me from managing the Guthrie Trading Company if I refuse Rogers. He can barely keep it running without me."

The hand on her shoulder goes still.

"If it comes down to that... What are you gonna do?"

"You mean if I have to choose between the Company or not marrying Rogers?"

"Yes."

Silence stretches for a few seconds before she sighs heavily.

"I won't have to choose. I'll find a way."

His heart sinks a little at that but he pushes the feeling away.

"I hope so." He says in an almost whisper that sends shivers down her spine.

His voice should be illegal.

She smiles into the skin of his chest, one leg tangling with his as he pulls her closer.

This is addicting.

Her phone rings and she groans in annoyance, causing him to chuckle as he reaches for it on her bedside table, smirking when he sees the screen.

"Is Max that woman from the club?"

She nods into his chest.

"Just ignore it." She tells him, but then she hears his deep voice again.

"Miss Guthrie's phone."

Her eyes widen and she looks up immediately, reaching to take the phone from his hand and grimacing at her friend's exasperated voice.

"Eleanor, what the fuck?! Why is he with you, are you okay?"

"Oh, she's better than okay, believe me." He says with a wicked glint in his eyes and the blonde hits his chest, sitting up in bed.

"I'm fine. I'm home. And yes, he's here."

"Are you insane? You let a criminal inside your room again? This is so not like you."

"Please say you won't tell Mr. Scott."

Her friend sighs.

"Are you happy, Eleanor?"

"Much. He's making me feel better." She says, looking back down at him with a small smile as his hand caresses her naked back, a smirk tugging at one corner of his lips, soulful and dangerous blue eyes staring up at her.

"Then I will keep my mouth shut. Just promise me you will be careful. Please."

Before she can answer, Charles tugs her back down to his chest, taking the phone from her.

"She's in good hands, Max. Very good hands."

"If you hurt her, I will hunt you down to the ends of the world."

He chuckles briefly, looking down at the smiling blonde in his arms. "I have no doubts about that. Have a good night." He hangs up, ignoring Max's protests on the other side, tossing the phone to the pillows on the floor before leaning forward to kiss Eleanor. He moves her onto her back and covers her body with his, reveling in her sigh of pleasure and the way her arms wrap around his neck.

This was going to be a really long night.

And neither of them would complain about that.

 


	16. Past Wounds

Eleanor wakes up with a start, feeling sharp pain coming from her birthmark.

She can barely breathe; the pain is unlike anything she's ever felt before.

It feels as if someone just slashed her open with some sort of blade.

She feels warm wetness starting to spread on her skin and jumps out of Charles' arms, waking him up as she quickly gets up from the bed, her breathing wild while she touches her stomach.

"Eleanor? What is it?" She barely registers Charles' voice as he rushes to her side, his hands coming to her shoulders.

She can smell the blood, feel it coating her fingers, and her eyes widen in pure, raw horror when instead of feeling the uneven skin of her birthmark, she feels a gaping wound on her stomach.

A scream begins to escape her, but a hand covers her mouth immediately, pulling her against a firm chest before she's dragged back to her bed, and Charles turns her bedside table lamp on, the soft glow illuminating the room.

"You fucking crazy? Want to alert the security men so they will find me here?"

He asks, anger evident in his voice. But it fades away as soon as he sees her wide, scared eyes.

Her hands were shaking, gripping her stomach tightly as if she was hurt.

But there was nothing there. Just her birthmark.

He frowns, slowly removing his hand from her mouth, relieved when she doesn't scream.

"Eleanor, what is it? What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, breathing heavily, mouth parted in horror and eyes filled with pure fear.

"M-my..."

She mutters, unable to form a sentence and he moves his hands to hers, slowly pulling them away from her stomach.

"Hey. You're fine. See?"

She shakes her head furiously again, too terrified to look down.

"Eleanor. You're okay. There's nothing besides your birthmark. See for yourself. Just trust me."

She's shaking violently, on the verge of a panic attack, but slowly complies, looking down to see that he was right. She looks at her hands, not seeing any blood. But she had felt it coating them just a minute ago.

The blonde frowns in confusion.

"I... don't understand..."

"What happened, Eleanor?" Charles asks, watching her closely and she hears the worry in his voice.

"I don't know... I woke up, there was so much pain, I felt..." She trails off, inspecting the white sheets and not finding any blood stains on them either. "...I could have sworn there was a gaping wound on my stomach, I felt the blood on my fingers..." She looks up at him, eyes glinting with unshed tears. "Charles, I could smell it!"

He regards her for a second before moving his hand to trace her birthmark with his fingers.

"There's nothing. You see? You're okay. Must have been some sort of nightmare. Night terrors?"

She nods slowly, still shaking. "Shit... That was fucking scary..."

He sighs, pulling her to his chest.

"Well, then it's a good thing you're not alone right now."

She nods again, hiding her face in the crook of his neck for a moment while he reaches to turn her bedside table lamp off, plunging the room into darkness. They settle back in bed and Charles pulls the blankets over their bodies with a sigh. She hesitates for a moment before returning to his embrace.

He caresses her hair as the minutes drag by, wanting to give her some comfort.

Her breathing is returning to normal and the shaking is subsiding, her hands gripping tightly to his shoulders.

She takes a deep breath, finally looking up at him.

Charles can't really see her in the dark, but he touches her cheeks, noticing the tears are gone. Good.

"Has this ever happened before?"

He feels her shake her head.

"No. I mean, I already felt pain coming from the birthmark before, but never like this... And I had never hallucinated a gaping wound either. The night terrors are getting more aggressive. That's weird..."

"What's weird?"

"The other nights we spent together, there was no sign of them."

He smirks.

"Are you saying I keep you safe from your night terrors, Miss Guthrie?"

She scoffs, hitting his chest slightly.

"I wasn't going to go back to the spiritist house, but now I will. I want to know what all this means."

He frowns.

"Spiritist house?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you, did I?" She pulls away from him, laying down on her back.

"There's this place I went to, with Mr. Scott and his daughter. I don't know how to explain exactly what it is, but a medium told me some stuff about my previous life."

"Are you kidding me?"

She lets out a brief laugh.

"I know, it's silly, but-"

"Eleanor. What did she tell you?"

She frowns. "She just said some stuff about how I had a choice to make. How I let someone die in my past life. She also said that I made some wrong choices, and told me not to let a man destroy me again. That choosing to stay with him led me to my destruction. Something like that." She says, yawning tiredly and closing her eyes.

"Rogers."

Her eyes open and she frowns.

"What?"

"That man. It was Rogers."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. Somehow." Charles reaches for her in the dark, pulling her back into his chest.

For some reason, talking about Rogers makes him want to hold her close, a protective instinct coming over him.

She sighs in satisfaction, snuggling into his warmth. "If you say so."

"It's strange. Anne and I are having past life regressions. Jack had one too."

She looks up at him.

"That. That's what I want to do. What did you see? Who were you?"

He's silent for a moment, fingers drawing patterns on her naked back.

"I knew you."

"What?"

"You and I. We knew each other."

"How?"

He hesitates for a few seconds.

"I think I loved you."

_And you destroyed me._

He frowns, pulling her away from him and getting up, heading over to the curtains that covered the balcony's glass door.

She sits up in bed, just as he opens the curtains a little to peek at the sky.

"It's around 4 in the morning. Get up and get dressed, Princess." He says, before putting on his jeans.

She groans, laying back down and pulling the blankets over her head.

"No, thank you."

He comes over to the bed, reaching to turn her bedside table lamp on and pulling the blankets away from her.

"Get up."

"Why?"

"I said I would teach you how to use that knife the next time I came here."

She sighs, noticing the way his eyes darken with desire while he watches her naked body, hand reaching to caress her birthmark.

"Wouldn't you prefer to get back in bed?"

A smirk tugs at his lips.

"Nice try. Get up."

She groans in complaint, getting up and stretching, moving to grab her discarded bathrobe while he takes her knife in his hand and checks it over.

"Why do you have to do this to me?" She asks with a grimace and he looks over at her before moving to stand in front of her.

"I won't be by your side all the time. I want to make sure you will know how to defend yourself when you have to."

Her heart fills with affection as she tries to contain the smile that comes to her lips.

"Alright then, Captain. Teach me." She says before pausing and frowning.

_Why did I say that?_

He looks at her in question.

"I don't know where this came from." She says with a slight shake of her head.

He shrugs.

"You're not the first one who calls me that."

She scowls and he fights the smug smirk that tugs at his lips, reaching to brush her hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"Jealous?" He repeats her question from earlier, when she told him that Rogers had touched her.

She scoffs, recognizing the question.

"Who is she?"

This time he can't hold back the brief chuckle that escapes him.

"Just an old friend of mine. Idelle. Nothing to worry about."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Black, long hair? Dark green eyes? Loves to go on and on about reincarnation and other weird stuff when she's high?"

He frowns. "That's her. How did you know?"

"I know her. She lives with Max."

"Hm. Small world."

She nods, watching him suspiciously and he sighs.

"There's nothing between me and Idelle."

She shrugs. "If you say so. But it's alright. It's not like we're together anyway."

He pulls her to him, crashing his lips against hers, and surprise delays her actions for a moment before she responds, tangling her hands in his hair.

She tries pushing him back into the bed, causing a brief laugh to sound at the back of his throat and he bites softly at her lower lip before pulling away, her knife still in his hand.

"Later."

She sighs, rubbing her eyes tiredly and his face softens a bit.

"It will be quick. You don't have to learn everything today. Just a quick lesson, then you can go back to sleep. Looks like I kept you awake for too long tonight."

She rolls her eyes at his smug tone, but a smile comes to her lips anyway as he begins teaching her.

* * *

_There's pirates everywhere. The tavern is full of them and Anne watches everything silently from a table, drinking with Jack by her side._

_They watch as their Captain moves through the crowd, everyone making way for him by retreating from his path, not daring to meet his eyes until he finally makes it to a counter, putting his arms on it and leaning forward to say something to the blonde on the other side of it._

_She's trying to hide a smirk, but happiness dances in her eyes as she looks at him and replies to whatever he had said._

_The Guthrie bitch._

The snapping sound brings Anne out of her trance and she sits up in bed.

Looking around the room, the redhead finds Jack watching her worriedly from the door.

He sighs.

"Aren't you pushing yourself too much, darling? I'm seriously worried about you."

"I won't stop. Not when I'm so close to remembering everything. And you should be doing the same thing."

"Anne, even if this is real... Don't you think there's a reason why we don't keep our memories from previous lives? Maybe it's better this way, I don't think you and Charles are supposed to be doing this."

"People aren't supposed to be criminals either!" She snaps, getting up from the bed and crossing her arms. Her eyes fill with that familiar fury and a hint of pain.

"Just like a criminal isn't supposed to get involved with the daughter of some rich old man who happens to be associated with the idiot who's been after us for years!" she continues, moving closer to him and he can see the pain growing in her eyes, though she's trying hard to hide it. Her voice is quieter when she says the next words. "Just like an uncle isn't supposed to abuse his 5 year old niece."

He runs a hand through his hair, feeling that clench in his heart, the one that always comes when he thinks about what Anne had to go through.

How he wishes he could kill her uncle in the most painful way possible.

"But guess what? It all happens anyway. So why should I worry about what I'm supposed to do or not supposed to do?"

"Anne..." He tries reaching for her but she slaps his hand away.

"Don't. It happened. There's nothing we can do about it. But this..." She gestures towards her cellphone, referring to the past life regression video. "This is something we can do. I will get to the bottom of this, and Charles will too. We're so fucking close to remembering. And we will. Whether you like it or not." She turns his back to him, going back to the bed and he sighs heavily.

"At least eat something. You've been at this the whole night."

"Later. Now leave."

He shakes his head.

_What the fuck am I gonna do with the two of you?_

* * *

Eleanor drops to her bed with a tired sigh, setting the knife on the bedside table and rubbing her eyes.

"There. Did it kill you to learn the basics? At least now you know how to hold it properly." Charles teases, picking his shirt up from the floor.

She rolls her eyes, a small smile coming to her lips nonetheless.

But it fades as soon as looks up at him and sees him putting the shirt on before picking his leather jacket up from the floor as well.

Their time together is coming to an end for now, again.

It's unnerving how much the thought of him leaving hurts her.

He notices her staring, face softening slightly when he sees the sadness in her eyes.

"I wish I could stay too, Eleanor. But it's just too risky. You know that."

She sighs, nodding. "I know. It's okay. It was a good night."

A small smug smirk comes to his lips for a second as he goes over to the bed.

"Indeed it was."

She gets up, letting him pull her into his arms and kiss her slowly, one hand coming to flirt with the ties of her bathrobe.

She smirks against his lips, noticing his resolve to leave before dawn is faltering slightly.

"Having some trouble with your self-control... Captain?"

A low growl escapes him as she speaks the title with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll show you trouble." Her eyes glint and he sighs, his hand leaving the ties of the bathrobe. "But it won't be right now. I can't push my luck so much."

She nods. As much as she wants him to stay, it's too risky.

So he pulls away, heading to open the curtains and the balcony's door as she wraps her arms around herself, watching him quietly. He looks at her over his shoulder, offering her an almost imperceptible smile before proceeding to climb down to the pool area, and she watches nervously as he leaves the mansion grounds, disappearing behind the wall.

Only then Eleanor lets out the breath she had been holding, going back inside and closing the glass door behind her. As she leans against it with a slight frown, the same thought that has been plaguing her since their kisses at the pool comes to her mind.

What the hell is going on between her and Charles?

* * *

When he makes his way inside the hideout, Jack looks up at him from the couch, worry written all over his face.

"What is it?"

"'What is it?' I'll tell you what is it. Anne hasn't eaten anything in the last 24 hours, all she thinks about is that stupid regression thing. She's been doing it nonstop, Charles."

Their leader raises an eyebrow, heading inside his accomplices' room just as Anne comes back from her latest regression.

"What else did you find?" He asks and she looks over at him, eyes filled with exhaustion.

"So much. We lived in Nassau. Sort of. As I said before, you were our captain. That blonde bitch took the Ranger from us, but then you left. You went somewhere while Jack and I stayed behind. A while later you came back with more men to confront the bitch." She pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath. "You took over some fort. The details are blurry but you did, and Eleanor was so angry. You killed someone. Left his head on the beach for everyone to see. That's all I know for now."

She's lying.

"No. It's not. What else did you see, Anne? You just told me stuff about me, what about you and Jack?"

She scoffs slightly.

"You remember that girl from the club? Eleanor's friend?" He nods and she looks away.

"I saw her too. I... Got close to her." She goes silent and he knows he won't be able to get her to say anything else for now. He sighs.

"You saw a lot. That's good. But now you should really get some sleep. I'll take over for now." He takes the phone from her hands. "I'll go have a few regressions and later I'll tell you everything. Now rest, Anne."

She scowls briefly, seeing it was an order.

Nodding, she lays down, exhaustion causing her to fall asleep almost instantly.

"Thank you." Jack says as soon as Charles steps out of his accomplices' room. He nods briefly, heading inside his own room before sitting in bed and rubbing his forehead with a heavy sigh.

Now that the rush he gets when he's with Eleanor has passed for the moment, he's able to think clearly again.

What the hell is he doing?

Getting involved with a woman who's well known in the city, part of the high society and the sole heir to a big Trading Company?

Is he out of his mind? He's asking to be found and thrown in jail.

But as much as Charles wants to tell himself he will never go to her again, he would only be lying to himself.

She's like a drug. He just can't get enough of her.

Can't get enough of the way she sighs in satisfaction when he pulls her into his arms, the way her eyes fill with happiness and relief whenever she sees him, even though she tries hard to hide it. The way she rolls her eyes when he teases her about something. The adorable slight hesitance she shows for a while when they sleep together. Her nails digging into his back and shoulders, her breathy moans.

He can't get enough of the way she gasps out his name in pure pleasure whenever he makes her come undone for him.

But the part that scares him is how much he can't stop thinking about the way she had clung to him after her night terror, how good he felt being there to make her feel better and safe.

Now Charles sees that was not okay.

Sex he could handle, but that? Holding her in his arms so she could feel protected? Hell, even staying the night, sleeping in her bed, while she laid her head on his chest?

That shouldn't be happening. That wasn't what he had planned. Things were getting out of his control, too damn fast.

When exactly did this thing between them change from just sex to this?

Whatever "this" was.

Does she feel the same way?

And what the hell is this urge he's feeling, to go to the Guthrie Mansion every night from now on, se he can keep her safe from the nightmares and night terrors?

Charles doesn't even want to think of what could have happened if he wasn't there in Eleanor's bedroom with her when she woke up thinking there was a gaping wound on her stomach. If he wasn't there to bring her back to reality, she could have had a really big panic attack.

God only knows what she could have done to herself.

The thought is enough to send a shiver down his spine and he shakes his head. The mere thought of something happening to Eleanor was too much for him.

No. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.

_Never._

And this has nothing to do with the developing affection he feels for her. Nothing at all.

* * *

She couldn't sleep after Charles left. As usual.

It was just impossible, she missed his warmth and his arms around her too much.

She was addicted.

Sighing, Eleanor gets up and heads to her bathroom.

The blonde blushes slightly when she looks at the mirror and sees the faint trail of hickeys he had left on her neck, collarbone and down the valley of her breasts last night.

Looks like she would have to wear clothes that covered them, again.

And she didn't mind it one bit.

After taking a quick shower and putting on some clothes, she leaves her suite, heading to the breakfast room and wondering if her father is already there.

Probably not. It's too early. He doesn't expect her to be here until 7 in the morning.

But as she makes it to the door, Eleanor hears three voices coming from inside the room.

Her father. Rogers.

And a wedding agent.

"I want the ceremony to be here at the Mansion. Do you agree?" Her father asks and she clenches her jaw.

"Absolutely, Sir. I was actually going to suggest that right now. If the ceremony is here, the chances of any uninvited commoners invading it will decrease drastically. It will be so much better. I don't want to see any of the low life idiots who showed up at my first wedding." Rogers says and she has to bite her lip to control the urge of going in there and slapping him.

"Exactly what I was thinking. Now, the details, you said you want to let Eleanor decide about that?"

"Ah, yes. I noticed she likes to be in control of everything. So I figured that by letting her take care of the details, and also choose our honeymoon spot, she will be more docile. Hopefully, this way it will be easier to deal with her."

"Excellent idea. But knowing my daughter, it won't be so easy."

"You think there's a chance that she will refuse me?"

"No. I already told her what will happen if she does that. She loves the Trading Company too much to give it up. Don't worry."

As they discuss further with the wedding agent, Eleanor listens with a heavy heart.

She doesn't even want to storm into the room and make a scene.

She's just too disappointed and lost.

Returning to her bedroom to grab her car keys, she fights against the tears.

She needs to get out of here.

* * *

As the car comes to a stop in front of Max and Idelle's house, the dark skinned girl opens the front door with a worried frown.

Eleanor locks the car and doesn't even try to fight as her friend pulls her into a comforting hug.

"Tell me everything." She says and the blonde nods while they go inside.

Thankfully, Idelle is nowhere to be seen.

"I heard them talking." Eleanor says quietly, eyes glinting with unshed tears as they sit down on Max's bed.

"Who?"

"My father. Rogers. A wedding agent. They're already planning everything."

Her friend scoffs, anger evident in her eyes.

"Well, fight back! They can't force you!"

The blonde lets out a brief, hollow laugh.

"Yes. They can. My life will turn into hell if I refuse him. And I will lose the Trading Company. I'm at a dead end, Max. I don't know what to do."

The dark skinned girl thinks for a few moments before lifting her friend's chin to meet her eyes, a smile on her lips.

"Leave with me."

Eleanor frowns. "What?"

"You and I, let's leave this city together. We have the money to get far away from here. No one will find us, we can start new!"

Déjà vu washes over her as the blonde starts shaking her head with a scowl. She can't leave it all behind. She can't leave  _him_  behind.

"But I can't leave here."

"Why not?"

"I... The Trading Company-"

Max scoffs. "Eleanor, it's just a business! Is it more important than your freedom? Your happiness?" Then she stops, seeming to realize something. "I see. It's him, isn't it?"

"What?" She tries pretending not to know who her friend is talking about, her walls coming up.

"Don't even try. You know your little tricks don't work with me. Most of the time, anyway. It's Charles, isn't it? You don't want to leave him behind."

The blonde inhales sharply at the thought. "I just- I can't."

"What the hell did that man do? How in the world did he manage to find a way inside that stone heart of yours?"

Eleanor lets out a brief, humorless laugh, wanting to lighten the mood.

"You mean besides the amazing sex?" She says without really meaning to, one hand flying up to cover her mouth as soon as the words leave her lips, and she watches as Max's mouth hangs open for a second.

"What? And you didn't tell me?"

She grimaces. Great.

"Wasn't it kinda obvious? You called last night and he was in my room."

"Well, you said he spent a night there before and nothing happened, I just..." The dark skinned girl runs a hand through her hair, not sure what to say. "Damn. Just... How many times?"

"Really?"

"It was your choice not to tell me the first time it happened, now deal with the consequences, Miss Guthrie."

She sighs. "Four times."

"So he spent four nights with you besides the one I already knew about? And you're just telling me now?"

Shit.

"Well... Not exactly. He spent the last two nights with me. The first one was our first time, and last night..." She lifts her eyes to meet her friend's incredulous gaze.

"Seriously? Three times in just one night?" She asks with a laugh and Eleanor rolls her eyes, laying down with a groan and covering her face with a pillow.

"Thank God you're on the pill. I'm sure your father wouldn't like a little criminal running around the mansion. Or two little criminals. Who knows."

She's having way too much fun with this.

"Don't even joke about that. Fuck."

Max laughs a little more, shaking her head.

"You should thank your lucky stars that Idelle is not here right now. She would never stop talking about this. But seriously. Is he treating you right?"

Eleanor nods. "More than right."

She rolls her eyes as her friends gives her a knowing smirk, raising an eyebrow.

"Jesus, Max. Get your mind out of the gutter for a minute. He has helped me with my night terrors. And also, he's been teaching me some tricks with the knife Mr. Scott gave me. So I will be able to defend myself."

"That's nice. So... Are you happy?"

A small smile comes to Eleanor's lips for a moment before she fights it away, lifting her chin.

"I enjoy the time we spend together, yes."

"Oh, come on. Stop doing that."

"I don't wanna think about it, alright? And please, don't tell Idelle. She'll never let me hear the end of it."

"She will find out eventually. You know how she is. But for now, your secret is safe with me. Don't worry."

The blonde nods.

"So... What are your plans now? With the whole wedding thing, your father, Rogers and Charles?"

"I'm not sure. I'll just do whatever it takes so I can keep managing the Trading Company."

"Even marrying Rogers? And never seeing Charles again?"

She sighs, looking down at her fingers.

"If I choose this, I will keep the Company and earn my father's approval. It's all I ever wanted."

"But...?"

"But, right now I'm too conflicted."

"Why don't you try talking to Charles about this? Maybe he could help?"

Eleanor scoffs.

"It's not like we're some sort of 'Jack & Rose' or anything like that, he..." She trails off, frowning for a second as she remembers what he said last night. "...Well. Last night he actually said that we would find a way. That I wouldn't have to marry Rogers."

A glint comes to Max's eyes and Eleanor throws her a warning look. "Don't."

"What?"

"I know what you are thinking. But no. This is not some sort of epic romance or anything like that. I will be rational about this whole thing. I can't bring Charles into this. He's already taking a really big risk, coming to my room and seeing me. And I don't want him to go to jail because of me."

Max sighs. "Still. At least talk to him. Maybe he could suggest something."

"I'll consider it." She says with a final tone, and Max knows this is the end of this conversation.


	17. Old Flames

"Someone has been going into her room during the nights." His contact says and the man frowns in concern.

"Who?"

"He wears a leather jacket most of the time. And his hair is long."

He smiles briefly, shaking his head.

They found each other.

_Some things never change, huh, Captain Vane?_

"And what about Rogers? Is she getting closer to him?"

"He goes to the mansion sometimes. But I haven't seen her alone with him in a while."

"That's good. Thank you. Call me in case you see them together. And about the man who's been visiting her room. Keep it silent. Don't tell anyone else about this."

"Secrecy is my second name, Sir. Don't worry."

"Good. Another thing. If you notice that this man is starting to get violent, let me know too, immediately." He says before hanging up, a smile tugging at his lips.

He knew it.

He knew these two would find each other eventually.

This makes him feel more relaxed.

Now that Vane was in her life again, he would protect her. He knows that she will be a lot more safe now that he's around.

But at the same time, it makes him worried.

What if they remember?

Vane would be so angry.

Would he try to hurt her?

He has his doubts. Their love is obviously still there, since he's going to her room regularly.

But will that be enough to keep him from making a move against her if they get their memories back?

* * *

The Demeter is bustling with nightlife as Max and Eleanor make their way through the crowd after getting their drinks.

The blonde looks around and notices Charles leaning against a wall, smirking at her.

She smiles into her glass, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, just go to him already." Max says with a groan and she laughs. "Hey, do you think... Do you think that accomplice of his is around? The redhead?" Her friend asks with a wicked glint in her eyes and Eleanor throws her a warning look.

"Max. Don't. Anne has a relationship with Jack."

"So?"

The blonde sighs.

"You're impossible. Um, do you mind if I..." She trails off with a small smile, gesturing towards Charles with her head and Max rolls her eyes.

"And you say I'm still number one." She shakes her head, a smile escaping her nonetheless. She can't remember if she's ever seen Eleanor so happy. "Fine, go ahead. Call me if you need me, alright? See you later." She winks at her, disappearing into the crowd.

Eleanor bites her lower lip, unable to contain her smile as she makes her way over to him, keeping her head down to avoid being recognized.

As soon as she reaches him, one of his hands reach out to touch hers, thumb drawing circles on the inside of her wrist as he cautiously looks around.

"I'll go check if the outdoor area is empty. If I'm not back in 3 minutes, go there." She nods and he leaves.

The blonde waits anxiously as the seconds drag by, skin already tingling with anticipation. She misses his touch. He hadn't been able to go to her room last night, since there had been a robbery on the neighborhood and the police had been around.

One night without him, and it's already enough to drive her crazy.

When 3 minutes pass and he's nowhere to be seen, she smiles before eagerly making her way through the crowd, occasionally dodging a few idiots who tried to grab her.

As soon as she steps outside, he's on her, kissing her and moving to press her against the nearest wall.

Her hands move to his hair, heart instantly feeling lighter.

"I take it you missed me, Captain?" She says in a playful tone while he kisses her neck, causing him to groan.

Ever since she saw the effect it had on him when she called him that, she had been taking advantage of it whenever she could.

"Be careful, Princess."

"Fuck you, Charles." She says, gasping when he bites hard into the skin of her neck, a smile coming to her lips. "I missed you last night." She admits quietly, feeling him chuckle against her skin.

He's having way too much fun with this.

It's time to turn the tables.

One of her hands lets go of his hair, trailing down his chest to his lower abdomen, teasingly slow. He groans.

"You're asking for it, Eleanor." His low tone sends shivers down her spine, butterflies filling her stomach as her hand begins to move even lower, her breath hitching.

But then the door besides them opens suddenly.

Jack steps outside, cursing under his breath when he sees their current state before looking around awkwardly, running a hand through his hair.

Anne appears at his side, rolling her eyes at the pair and glaring daggers at Eleanor.

"Sorry to, um... Interrupt. Miss Guthrie." He says with a small smile and a nod towards the blonde.

She nods back, fighting the urge to smile at the way Charles is looking at his accomplice.

If looks could kill...

Anne scoffs beside him. "Really?"

"I'm being polite, darling. It wouldn't kill you to try."

She shakes her head, turning back to glare at Eleanor with murderous eyes.

The blonde has to admit, she's scary as hell.

She clings slightly to Charles for protection without even realizing it, glaring right back at Anne. She won't back down, no matter how scary this woman is.

The criminal holds her close, one hand squeezing her waist reassuringly.

He wouldn't let anyone lay a finger on her.

"She'll end up destroying us!" The little brute tells her partner, voice raising.

"Nothing's gonna happen, darling! Let's trust Charles' good judgment, he never did anything that put us in danger!"

Anne is shaking her head with that angry smirk of hers, looking around.

Her eyes come back to her partner and she opens her mouth to scream something at him.

He's probably used to it, because as soon as she screams "Fuck you, Jack!", he screams the same words in perfect synchrony with her, and Charles chuckles briefly.

"Yeah, yeah. Fuck me."

Anne storms back inside the Demeter, slamming the door behind her.

"Is she always like this?" Eleanor asks with a raised eyebrow, absentmindedly caressing the back of Charles' neck and Jack shrugs.

"Nah. Sometimes she's worse." He says, causing the blonde to chuckle.

"What did you want, Jack?" The trio's leader asks, making no move to let go of the blonde, keeping his arms around her and their bodies close together.

"I'm looking out for the two of you! People come out here all the time, there would be disastrous consequences if someone caught a criminal having sex with the heir to the Guthrie Trading Company at the back of a nightclub, don't you think?"

Eleanor blushes slightly, dropping her head to Charles' shoulder with a brief chuckle while he glares at his accomplice with a raised eyebrow.

"We weren't-"

"Not yet. But if it wasn't for my interruption..."

"It's the second time you do this already, if there is a third, you are the one who will need to deal with some disastrous consequences." He says and Eleanor laughs against his shoulder, one hand playing with his hair while the other caressed his arm, the alcohol and his body against hers helping her feel happy and free.

* * *

Back inside the Demeter, an extremely angry Anne gets a drink before moving to lean against one of the walls on a secluded, dark spot.

She barely takes a few gulps of her rum before someone approaches her slowly.

So much for having a little alone time.

Her hand goes to the knife strapped to her waist underneath the leather jacket, ready to fight back. It's surely just another drunken idiot coming over to try something with her.

But he picked the wrong girl.

Anne looks over at the person, surprise filling her for a second when she sees it's not a man at all.

_Max._

Images from her latest regressions come to her mind and she loses the menacing look for a moment, her heart skipping a beat as the other woman gives her that familiar, beautiful smile.

"What are you doing here on your own? Where's your boyfriend?"

At that, the redhead scoffs.

"Outside, with Charles and that blonde bitch you love so much."

Max raises her eyebrows, cautiously moving to lean against the wall by Anne's side, taking a sip of her own drink.

"She's not so bad when you get to know her. But I didn't come here to talk about Eleanor. You seemed lonely."

"I'm perfectly fine with that."

The dark skinned girl frowns, turning her head to look at her and after a few seconds, the redhead looks her way too, their eyes meeting.

This moment is soon broken as a drunk man appears, reaching for Max.

"There you are. I've been looking at you the whole night." He slurs, hands starting to travel her body and she tries fighting him with a scowl.

"Fuck off. I don't like men."

He laughs.

"I can make you change your mind, come on-" His words are cut off when Anne pulls him off the other woman, slamming him against the wall hard, her knife to his throat.

"You heard her. Get the fuck out and leave her alone."

His eyes fill with surprise and he puts his hands up as Anne slowly lets him go, moving to stand in front of Max.

He quickly runs off, leaving the two women alone again.

"Thanks."

The redhead shrugs.

"Maybe you could come with me to the bathroom? There's this guy that has been eyeing me for a while now, I'm afraid he'll try something if I go alone."

Anne growls at her words. But something flickers through her eyes.

Pain.

"Fine. Let's go."

* * *

"Would you like to stay away from that mansion for the night? Come with me to our main hideout?" Charles asks her, a smirk tugging at his lips and Jack's eyes fill with alarm.

"Charles, you sure that's wise?"

She smiles.

"I'd love too. I just need to go tell Max-" She says, trying to pull away from him but he merely tightens his arms around her before kissing her lips briefly.

He looks over at Jack. "Find Miss Guthrie's friend and tell her that we left for the night. Tell her she's safe."

Jack sighs but nods. "Have a good night, you two." He says before going back inside the Demeter.

"Do you have your car?"

"No. I took a cab, since I wanted to drink too much tonight. But now I found something better to do." She says with a glint in her eyes.

"Good. Your car would draw too much attention. Let's go."

She frowns in confusion when he starts moving in the opposite direction of the door.

"Charles? The door-"

"You really think we can leave together with everyone seeing us?" He stops beside the dumpster he and his accomplices had used to escape the last time.

"Oh, no. No fucking way."

"Come on. I'll help you."

She scoffs, but goes to him anyway.

He's right. They can't risk anyone seeing them leave the club together.

So she lets him help her climb up on the dumpster with a disgusted face, and when he climbs up on the wall, offering her his hand, she frowns.

"You can do it. Come on."

She calms her nerves, taking his hand and letting him help her up on the wall.

"Now what?" She asks, looking down at the deserted, dark alley on the other side.

"Hang on. I'll go down, then you jump and I'll catch you."

He jumps down without giving her time to protest, landing with impressive ease before raising back to his normal height and holding out his arms, looking up at her.

Her heart rate increases.

"I... Don't know about that..."

He rolls his eyes.

"It's not even that high. Go on, Princess. Before someone sees you."

She looks around, swallowing nervously.

"Eleanor. Come on. Just trust me. I won't let you fall."

_Never._

She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes before dropping down to the alley.

And he catches her.

Her breath hitches when she opens her eyes, seeing his face mere inches from hers while he holds her in his arms.

"Told you."

She lets out a brief laugh.

"That was such a rush."

He smiles briefly at the blonde in his arms, affection flickering in his eyes briefly. She moves to press a quick kiss to his lips before he sets her back on her feet.

"I'm not used to this sort of stuff." She says as they begin their walk towards the motorcycle. Thankfully, Charles had left it on a secluded spot.

"That's not a surprise. You grew up trapped inside that mansion. Must have been boring as hell."

She scoffs.

"It wasn't so bad. I can be reckless if I want to, you know."

He raises one eyebrow as they reach the motorcycle. "Really?"

"Yeah. But I don't like taking unnecessary risks."

He shakes his head with a chuckle as they put on the helmets.

His heart fills with joy when she wraps her arms around his waist while he starts the motorcycle.

And for the first time he doesn't try to fight it. Instead he gives in to the feeling, a smile tugging at his lips.

Yes. This woman will be the death of him.

* * *

Quickly searching the crowd with his eyes, Jack sees no sign of Eleanor's friend.

Maybe she had already left the club?

Anne was nowhere to be seen either.

A weird feeling comes over him, making him feel anxious all of a sudden and he frowns, feeling a pull on his mind.

He stops for a moment, shaking his head to clear the fog that had set in his brain. For a minute, he could swear he had seen Anne and Max, though both had been wearing strange looking clothes.

He sighs. Anne and Charles' obsession with this whole reincarnation story must be getting to his head.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Max says, stepping out of the bathroom stall before heading over to the sink to wash her hands while Anne held both their glasses, leaning against a wall with a bored look on her face.

"No."

"Well, I will anyway. Why do you act so tough all the time? Is it some sort of self-defense or something?" She asks with a curious look, leaning her hip against the sink.

Anne scoffs, taking a drink from her glass.

The other woman frowns, watching her. "Do I know you from somewhere, Anne?"

At this, the redhead immediately meets her gaze, an alarmed look in her eyes.

Max raises her eyebrows at the reaction, surprised to see the tough façade faltering for the second time tonight. Just like when she had approached her earlier.

"I do... Don't I?" She says, moving away from the sink and closer to the redhead.

"No. I don't know what you're talking about." Anne hands her their glasses, averting her eyes.

But the other woman shakes her head, setting the glasses on the sink before reaching out to touch the little brute's face.

"Well, I think you're lying."

She's moving closer to her, and Anne acts on instinct, quickly grabbing the back of her head with one hand while pulling the knife from her waist and putting it to her throat with a menacing look in her eyes.

At this, a huge sense of déjà vu overcomes both women and they frown at each other, eyes locked, a primitive attraction and understanding flowing between them.

An invisible force pulls them closer to each other, Anne slowly lowering the knife.

Their lips are mere inches away when a group of drunk girls throw the bathroom door open loudly, causing both women to jump and Anne quickly moves away from Max.

"I... gotta go find Jack." She says quietly, keeping her head down as she walks out of the bathroom.

* * *

"Ah, there you are. I was beginning to get worried." Jack tells the redhead as she approaches him, quickly downing the rest of the rum.

Something's wrong.

She's avoiding his eyes, clenching her jaw slightly.

She seems anxious.

"Let's go home. I'm tired."

She's lying.

But he knows better than to confront her now.

"Sure, darling. I just need to find Miss Guthrie's friend first, have you seen her?"

At this, Anne snaps her head up, finally meeting his eyes and he frowns.

Her eyes are wide and it takes her a moment to school her features into a more neutral expression.

"Why?" She asks with a scowl and he runs a hand through his hair with a grimace.

"Well... You won't like this."

She scoffs.

"Why, Jack?"

"Charles asked me to find her and tell her that Eleanor left with him. To let her know that she's safe."

Anne narrows her eyes at him. "Where did he take her, Jack?"

"To our main hideout."

Anne clenches her jaw hard, looking around with murderous eyes.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

"Please try not to kill her, alright?"

He says and the redhead scoffs, opening her mouth to give him a piece of her mind when a third voice reaches her ears, the accent making her heart skip a beat.

"Is everything okay?"

She turns around to see Max looking at them.

Jack forces a smile.

"Just who I was looking for. You just made my night a bit easier."

She raises an eyebrow at him while Anne turns her back to her, keeping her head down.

"Why is that?"

"Anne and I were just leaving. But before that, I needed to find you so I could give you a message from our leader. He left with Eleanor for the night; they wanted me to let you know that she's safe."

Max narrows her eyes at him, taking a step closer and raising her chin in a show of defiance.

"Well then, I have a message for your leader as well. Just remind him that her father has great influence over this city, and that if something happens to her, you three are fucked. Oh, and besides, Woodes Rogers will hunt you down, and even if I don't like that idiot, I will help him with finding Charles if he hurts Eleanor in any way."

Jack raises an eyebrow at her words and Anne scoffs silently beside him.

"No one will hurt Miss Guthrie. You have my word."

"Speak for yourself." Anne mumbles and he rolls his eyes.

"She's joking. She knows there would be consequences for us if we did anything to hurt Richard's daughter. And besides, Charles made it official a few days ago that Eleanor is under his protection, so she won't be harmed in any way. I assure you. If anything, she's probably even more safe when she's with him." He finishes with a reassuring look in his eyes.

"I hope so." Max tells him, moving away from the couple. "You two have a good night then. Anne..." The redhead looks up to meet her gaze and the other woman smiles warmly at her for a moment. "...Good night. And thank you." She winks at her quickly before disappearing into the crowd.

"Why did she thank you?" Jack asks and she sighs.

"I protected her from an idiot who tried grabbing her. That's all. Can we go now? Or do you have any other messages to give?"

He smirks at her as they make their way to the exit of the Demeter.

* * *

Eleanor barely takes a look around the dark main space of the hideout before Charles turns her around and pulls her body against his, that familiar and wonderful passion taking them over as they kiss.

When she realizes it, she's on a counter, her legs around his hips while his hands move under her shirt.

"So you did miss me too." She manages to whisper and he chuckles against the skin of her neck.

"You could say that."

"Think we can make it to your room? I don't really want your accomplices catching us like this. Especially Anne. She'll want to kill me even more."

"I'm not really sure if that's possible."

The blonde lets out a brief laugh.

"You're such an idiot, I don't even know why-"

Her words are cut off when he lifts her from the counter, easily making his way in the dark to a door and kicking it open as she clings to him, a small smile playing on her lips.

She soon finds herself on his bed, eyes glinting as she hears the sound of his leather jacket falling to the floor. He reaches down to pull her shirt over her head before pushing her into the mattress, lips hot on her neck and she sighs in satisfaction.

But she stops him, smirking at his annoyed groan.

"What?"

"The door."

She can barely see the roll of his eyes in the dark, but he obeys, getting up and heading to close and lock the door of his room, making it even darker.

His body covers hers again and soon their clothes are discarded, allowing them to feel each other's skin.

She stops his hand as it travels down her stomach, shaking her head.

"There will be time for that later. But right now I just need you." Her voice is quiet, a hint of desperation in her tone and he's more than happy to oblige, burying himself inside her with a groan that does wicked things to her.

They pause for a moment, both enjoying the feeling of being together like this again after spending last night apart.

They are addicted to each other. They know it.

But neither of them gives a shit.

So they lose themselves in one another, moving together in such familiar synchrony, not even bothering with trying to be silent.

Her nails dig into the skin of his back, a mix of happiness, relief and pleasure spreading inside her, the depression, self hatred and sense of guilt completely forgotten for now.

Not even the sound of the hideout's front door opening makes them stop.

Not even Anne's angry scoff, Jack's groan of annoyance as they hear the sounds coming from Charles' room.

"It's your fault this is happening!" The redhead's muffled voice reaches their ears, but they still keep going, her heavy footsteps heading to the other room echoing through the hideout.

"Thank you very much, Charles!" Jack yells from outside the room and the blonde chuckles briefly, earning her a sharp thrust of his hips that makes her gasp loudly.

Time seems to stop as their eyes lock, the faint moonlight coming from the open window just enough to let them see each other.

That deep, familiar and wonderful bond forms between them again.

Weirdly, it just feels as if they've done this countless times before.

Neither can explain or understand this connection, but as they start moving against each other faster and harder, the sounds leaving their mouths more urgent with each passing second, it doesn't matter.

Nothing else matters.

Charles grips her hip harder and she retaliates by digging her nails deeper into his back, her eyes filling with urgency.

She doesn't seem like a proper high society lady at all, the sweet, desperate sounds leaving her mouth enough to drive him crazy.

In this moment, she's so different from what her father and Rogers want her to be.

Careless. Shameless. Free.

And it's just so damn beautiful to see her like this.

In this moment, she's simply the most important thing in his world.

His name leaves her lips, a breathy plea, and then she's falling over the edge, eyes locked with his, her nails leaving red marks on his back and his shoulders.

It takes only a few more thrusts before he follows her with a grunt of her name.

The room falls silent except for their heavy breathing and he rolls off of her, pulling her to his chest.

A barely audible "Thank God" comes from Jack from the main space of the hideout, muffled by the door, and she blushes slightly, hiding her face in his shoulder with a smile.

Her slight embarrassment is fucking adorable.

He can't help himself, kissing her head before keeping his cheek pressed to her hair, a small smile coming to his lips as well while his thumbs caress her arm.

"You're welcome, Jack." He calls out and she hits his chest, shaking her head with a brief laugh as his accomplice scoffs from the other side of the door.

"You two better shut the fuck up!" Anne's angry voice comes from the other room and Eleanor tries hard not to laugh, looking up at Charles with a big smile and a happy glint in her eyes.

He sees her distress and thankfully decides to help her, moving to kiss her lips, successfully distracting her.

As they part after a few seconds, he watches her closely.

"Are you staying?"

She thinks for a few seconds.

"I shouldn't..."

"...But?"

She smiles.

"...But, it's really late right now, and I'm feeling too sated, warm and comfortable to leave this bed and drive to the other side of the fucking city." She tells him, keeping his gaze, her fingers drawing circles on his chest. "My only other option would be going to Max, since she lives nearby, but I'm sure that Idelle wouldn't let me have a minute of peace. She wouldn't shut up until I told her everything about the man I've been seeing, so yeah... I think that staying here with you sounds much more appealing." She finishes, snuggling even closer and reveling in his warmth with a satisfied sigh.

He chuckles briefly, his arms tightening around her. "Good."

They stay like this in peaceful silence for some time, his fingers caressing her arms softly as he stares up at the ceiling.

She's still awake. He can feel her blinking against his chest.

Suddenly she sighs and he looks down at her.

"This is so strange." She says, her voice quiet.

"What?"

"I'm happy."

He can't help the smile that tugs at his lips, can't fight the affection that spreads inside his heart. And how happy he feels to be the one who's giving her this.

"There's no sign of the night terrors either."

"I think I'm spoiling you too much, Miss Guthrie."

She chuckles, looking up at him. "You're too full of yourself."

She kisses him and he smiles, one hand moving to her messy blonde locks.

"You okay?" He asks when they pull away, watching her closely.

"Just a little thirsty."

Charles nods in agreement.

"I'll go get some water for us." He begins to get up but her arms tighten around him.

"No. Stay here. I'm cold."

She frowns at her own words. Clearly, they escaped against her will. He raises an eyebrow at her, amusement flickering through his eyes and she groans.

"It's the alcohol speaking." She tells him.

"Sure it is." He says with a brief shake of his head but lays back down anyway, pulling the covers over their bodies.

She moves closer again, sighing happily at the feeling of his strong arms holding her tightly.

She's getting too addicted to this feeling.

Too addicted to  _him._

Silence reigns again while her fingers trace his chest for a few minutes, the criminal watching her in silence.

"Charles?" Her voice is quiet, somewhat hesitant.

"Hmm?"

She looks up to meet his eyes.

"Earlier, you were saying I grew up trapped in a mansion. And you were right."

"So?"

"So... You know about my past. My beginnings. I told you about my depression and everything. But what about you? I barely know anything about your life."

He sighs, averting his eyes.

"There's not much to know."

"You're lying."

A few moments drag by before he meets her gaze again.

"I was left at the orphanage doorstep as a newborn. Never knew who my parents were. I spent most of my childhood there. It was also where I met Jack and Anne. We were always running away."

He falls silent and she knows this is all she's going to get for now.

So she settles for enjoying the feeling of his warm skin under her fingers, the way his chest moves as he breathes and the sound of his heartbeat.

For some reason, this is more soothing than any medicine she ever took to help ease her panic attacks.

His heart beating.

His breathing.

The warm skin, assuring her that blood is flowing in his veins.

Assuring her that he's alive.

_He's alive._

She sighs deeply, closing her eyes to savor his familiar, calming and unique scent while relief spreads through her chest for some reason.

_He's alive..._

"You know... You and I are more alike than we think." His deep voice causes her to lift her head, looking up at him with questioning eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You're like me. You had to raise yourself. You had to deal with your problems and fears on your own. The difference is you did all that in a huge mansion, while I did it at an orphanage and in the streets. But the truth is that you're a lost girl, just as I am a lost boy."

_But now we found each other._

Tears come to her eyes and she hides her face in his chest.

"Guess you're right."

The soothing sounds of his breathing and his heartbeat, combined with the warmth and comfort of his body and the exhaustion from their recent activities soon start to lull her to sleep.

He feels when she starts to blink heavily against the skin of his chest until eventually her eyes fall closed, her breathing turning even and deep.

He watches her for a while, a small smile coming to his face.

What is it about this woman that makes him feel this way?

He just wants to take care of her, to keep her safe.

A sense of relief spreads in his chest.

Since the first night they spent together, this has been happening, but he doesn't know why.

It's like he's relieved to have found the woman who's been plaguing his dreams for years.

He always felt a strange urge to find her, and now that she's finally here in his arms... It just feels right.

Gently pulling her away from his body, Charles slowly gets up to go retrieve two bottles of water for them. She would surely need it in the morning.

He silently puts on his pants before unlocking and opening the door, stepping outside the room.

Jack looks up at him from the couch.

"What, did Miss Guthrie kick you out of the room too?"

Charles chuckles briefly before heading to the fridge so he could get the water bottles.

As he turns around, his accomplice raises his eyebrows at the red nail marks all over his back.

"Glad the night is going well for one of us." Charles shakes his head, closing the fridge and turning around to face his friend, bottles in hand.

Jack regards him, eyes filled with concern.

"What?" The trio's leader asks gruffly and he sighs.

"Charles, I think you should stop for a moment and think about what you're doing. This whole situation with Miss Guthrie... It can only end in disaster."

He scoffs, moving to the door of his room while keeping Jack's gaze.

"When Anne arrived at the orphanage... When you stopped trying to escape so you could stay with her, I thought you were being crazy and stupid too. But I kept my mouth shut. You were doing that because of your little sister." Jack sighs. He knew he had hit a sore spot. "Because it was something to help you feel less guilty about what happened." His hand goes to the doorknob and he gives his accomplice one last warning glance. "I never questioned you back then. So now don't question what I do with Eleanor."

With that, he goes back inside his room, closing and locking the door behind him.

Taking a drink from one of the bottles, he watches the sleeping blonde in his bed.

She has a small scowl on her face, the fingers of one hand closing around the sheets. As if she misses something.

_Someone._

He sets the water bottles on the bedside table, discarding his pants again.

As he gets into bed, her eyes open and she frowns sleepily.

"Charles?"

"Just went to get water. Want some?"

She nods and he reaches for one of the bottles before handing it to her, watching as she takes a few gulps.

"Thanks." Her quiet, tired voice says as he sets the bottle back on the bedside table.

He pulls her to his chest and she sighs softly with a small smile, one hand playing with his long hair.

She soon falls asleep again and he thinks about Jack's words.

As much as he hates to admit it, his accomplice is right. He really should end this, whatever this was, and soon.

But as he looks down at the sleeping blonde in his arms, the peaceful look on her face, knowing that he's the cause of it... He just can't even think about leaving her.

For some reason, now that he found her, he never wants to let her go.

Even if he's a criminal, even if she's the sole heir to a big Trading Company, and a member of the high society.

Even if her father is trying to force her into marriage with the man who's been after him and his accomplices for years.

While he's here, holding her in his arms as she sleeps, nothing else matters.

He closes his tired eyes with a sigh.

They will find a way.

Nothing will happen to them.

And Charles swears to himself, he swears on his own life. She will not have to marry Woodes Rogers.

As sleep overcomes him, a single, frightening thought runs through his head.

He's in love with Eleanor.


	18. Weak Spots

_Someone is shaking her shoulders. Hard._

_She opens her eyes to a dark room, in a strange bed_

_Soft candlelight illuminates the person beside her on the bed, and what the fuck? It's Rogers, staring at her with anger in his eyes._

_What the hell is she doing in bed with that idiot?_

_She wants to slap him for touching her like that, but finds out she's not in control of her own actions._

_"What is it?" She hears her tired, sleepy voice ask and he scoffs, staring at her in disbelief._

_"'What is it?' You were calling his name in your sleep!"_

_"I... It was a nightmare."_

_"Was it? Because it definitely did not sound like a nightmare."_

_She sighs, rolling in bed to turn her back to him, feeling tears burning in her eyes as he continues to talk. "Do you know what this does to a man? Waking up in the middle of the night and hearing his wife talking in her sleep, desperately calling out for a filthy pirate who was once her lover?_

_"Don't stress so much about it. Just go back to sleep. He is dead, remember? I was just having a nightmare." Her voice is quiet as she closes her eyes, trying hard to ignore the pain in her heart._

_He lets out a humorless, brief laugh beside her, and she holds her breath when his hands come to her waist._

_"I just want to rest. I haven't been sleeping too well for the past few weeks, you know that." She tries to move away._

_He doesn't let her._

_"Woodes, I'm serious. Just let me sleep." She complains and he chuckles, close to her neck._

Thankfully, when he pulls her body to his, she opens her eyes to her own room, breath hitching.

Looking around with a frown, she tries to calm her racing heart.

Relief spreads through her chest when she sees no sign of Rogers in the bed. Instead, she watches Charles' sleeping face with a small smile, his arms safely around her, helping to calm her nerves after the dream. The criminal holds her closer in his sleep, his heartbeat and calm breathing helping her to relax.

It has been around three weeks since their first time, and he has been coming to her room almost every night. They just can't get enough of each other. And she's been sleeping so well when he's with her.

Eleanor can't remember the last time she had so many full nights of sleep. She feels so much better now that she's being able to get this much needed rest.

Oddly enough, all the nights Charles spends with her, there are no signs of the nightmare. She had no idea just how much the sight of his dead body affected her mood. Now that it's being less frequent, she feels lighter and happier.

Sighing softly, she rests her head on his chest, closing her eyes, fingers grasping at his necklace, the anchor pendant cold against her warm skin.

Thank God he's here tonight.

She really didn't want to wake up alone after that weird dream.

Or was it a memory?

Lately, she has been thinking a lot about the whole reincarnation thing.

Madi called her yesterday, asking when she would visit the spiritist house again. Apparently, the medium from last time was worried about her.

Madi said the woman had approached her and Scott during their visit to the house this week. She asked them when Eleanor would come back, said she really needed their guidance.

Under normal circumstances, the blonde would probably just scoff at that and ignore it.

She doesn't need anyone's guidance.

But after everything that's been happening lately...

By now, she already actually believes in past lives. There's just too much proof. She's been reading a lot about it.

Eleanor is completely sure that she and Charles knew each other on their previous lives. After he told her about his experiences with the regressions, after seeing his birthmark, a perfect faded line around his neck where the rope strangles him in her nightmares, there's just no logical explanation. As much as she tried to come up with one, she couldn't.

And also, what happened during their third night together. When she woke up feeling a gaping wound on her stomach, right where her birthmark is located.

Memories of her weird experience in her father's office come to her mind.

The pain. That strange place. That man, holding her in his arms as she died, blood flowing from the wound on her stomach.

There's just no way to deny it.

All this is actually real.

A frown comes to her face when Eleanor thinks about something she hadn't before.

Who was that man?

The one who was holding her while she died.

Was he a lover of hers back then, perhaps?

She scowls, shaking her head slightly.

"Ugh, no." The blonde says quietly, absentmindedly drawing patterns on Charles' chest with her fingers.

Okay, definitely not a lover. Maybe a family member?

_A father figure._

Yes.

Sighing softly, she tries to push the pain in her heart away. Suddenly she really wishes she could find that man.

What was his name?

Eleanor knows. It's just beyond her reach, and she tries hard to remember, but it's no use.

Clint?

No... It's something that starts with F. She just knows it.

Frank? Finn?

Flynn! That's it.

Well... Maybe not. But it was close.

The blonde frowns, groaning in frustration. She's almost there. If she sees the name somewhere, she'll remember.

Making a mental note to search about names starting with F later, she moves closer to Charles' body with a small sigh, closing her eyes while her hand moves higher on his chest, her fingers touching the birthmark on his neck.

The criminal subconsciously holds her tighter again, burying his nose in her hair.

_Paradise._

A small stubborn smile tugs at her lips as Eleanor enjoys this moment. She knows she's addicted, but surprisingly, right now she can't bring herself to care.

So she simply relaxes, letting herself fall back into a peaceful sleep in her criminal's arms.

* * *

He's gone when she wakes up.

Turning her phone on, she sees it's just after 7 in the morning.

A smile comes to her face when she notices the text she received just a few minutes ago.

_"C: Prize tonight?"_

During the last 3 weeks, they had been developing their own secret way to communicate, just to be safe.

"Prize" meant he was asking if they would spend this night together again.

Biting her lower lip, she types in her reply.

_"Come and get it, Captain."_

Eleanor smirks to herself while she imagines his face reading her message. The title always drove him crazy, and she loved to take advantage of that.

The thought of Charles groaning in frustration when he realized he would have to wait the whole day to come here and have his way with her was enough to make her laugh briefly to herself.

She just loves teasing him.

Letting the phone drop to the bed, the blonde gets up, stretching slowly before heading to her bathroom, completely naked.

As she steps into the shower, she shakes her head slightly, thinking about how easily they have been developing their own secret language.

_"It never hurts to be safe"_ , Charles had said.

They already have quite a lot of words with hidden meanings they use.

The most important one is "Sail".

It's the word they chose to use when there is an emergency.

If anything happened and Eleanor needed him, if she was in danger, all she had to do was type that simple word and he would come.

And it could mean different situations.

_"If you're in any danger, if you need me, type it in capital letters. Now, if you simply want to let me know that the police is in the neighborhood one night, to alert me it's not safe to come here, type it in small letters._ "

So basically, "sail" meant it was not safe for him to come over.

While "SAIL" meant that she needed him.

Of course, she would only use the word if there was a really serious emergency.

Even if Charles always makes her feel safe and better, she is not the kind of woman who calls for help. She won't act like some damsel in distress, calling out for her knight in shining armor.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. No. It's just not her thing.

* * *

"I'm serious, Charles. She's barely eating. She's barely sleeping. She's more distant than usual. I'm really, really worried about her."

He regards Jack for a moment while smoking a cigarette, seeing the concern in his accomplice's eyes. Anne was in their room, having yet another regression.

The redhead was completely obsessed, and Jack was right. She was actually being even more distant than usual, rarely speaking to them, or even looking at them.

Her appearance reflected the lack of sleep, and there had been more than one time he woke up to the sound of Anne waking up from a nightmare in the other room.

Her startled voice would echo through the hideout, followed by Jack quickly getting up from the couch and rushing to try and calm her down, only to get screamed at before her heavy footsteps made their way out the front door.

The trio's leader has no idea what is going on with her. Her behavior is so confusing and he never saw her like this before.

The weirdest part is that he already heard her saying a name during the regressions a few times.

_Max._

Why Anne was calling out for Eleanor's best friend, he had no idea.

Speaking of regressions, he's been taking them slow lately.

For some reason, the more time he spent with Eleanor, the more hesitant he feels about having the regressions. It just feels like there's something he's afraid to remember.

Something that will ruin this nice and calm atmosphere between them.

And even though part of him is urging him to remember what is it, he's not sure if he wants to.

* * *

Max gasps loudly when she looks at the notebook screen and sees the research Eleanor was doing.

Baby names starting with F.

"Please tell me there is not a little criminal growing inside you right now!"

The blonde rolls her eyes at her friend.

"Of course not. There's just a name I'm trying to remember, and I know it starts with F. It's bugging me."

Max chuckles, shaking her head as she leans against the desk beside the blonde's chair.

"Thank God. Hey, if you ever have a child, what are you going to name him or her?"

Eleanor frowns, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Where is this coming from?"

"Just curious."

"I don't know. I never thought about any boy names, but for a girl, I've always really liked the name Madison."

The dark skinned girl nods, seemingly satisfied by her answer. Suddenly the blonde bangs her fist against the surface of her father's desk with a triumphant smirk, causing her friend to jump slightly.

"Flint! That's it!" She exclaims and Max frowns.

"Flint?"

"It's the name I was trying to remember since this morning."

"You are weird, my dear." She shakes her head with a chuckle, just as the door opens and Richard comes in, talking to Rogers.

Eleanor's jaw clenches as her father looks up, his smile vanishing when he sees Max.

She immediately pushes away from the desk.

"I wasn't aware you had company, Eleanor."

"I was just leaving." Her friend says with a forced smile, looking down at the blonde. "See you later, love."

She forces herself not to laugh, knowing Max is calling her that just to annoy her father.

"Do you want me to accompany you to the door?"

"No, it's okay. I'll text you when I get home, alright?" She leans down to kiss both her cheeks before pulling away with a wink, briefly caressing her chin while Richard rolls his eyes and Rogers clears his throat, looking around the office awkwardly.

Eleanor has to bite her lower lip hard to keep herself from laughing.

What would she do without Max?

The other woman heads to the door, proudly keeping her chin high in silent defiance.

"Have a good afternoon, gentlemen!"

Her father merely stares at her friend with a blank expression, while Rogers forces a smile and a nod, keeping his head down with a raised eyebrow as Max closes the door behind her.

This is priceless.

Richard clears his throat.

"Apologies, Woodes. My daughter has this unpleasant habit of keeping that low life of a woman around. It is unnerving."

She rolls her eyes, getting up from the chair and closing her notebook.

"Good afternoon to you too, father."

She says, starting to move to the office's door, but his voice stops her.

"Sit down. Please." He gestures to the expensive couches in the middle of the room and she feels her blood run cold.

The first thing that comes to her mind is that Rogers' private investigator found out about Charles.

She stops immediately, turning around with an unfriendly look on her face, ready to stand her ground and defend both herself and her criminal if she had to, moving to sit down.

Richard turns to the arrogant idiot, gesturing at the empty spot beside his daughter on the couch and he nods with a small smile, moving to sit right beside her.

She tenses while her father sits down on the other couch in front of them.

This can't be good.

Silence stretches for a few moments; the grandfather clock ticking was the only sound in the office.

Finally, her father finds the words to say, glancing up at her face. She glares back at him in defiance.

"You are not to go to places like the Demeter again, do you understand me, Eleanor? I forbid it."

She scoffs and Rogers shifts slightly beside her.

"Please try to understand, my dear. It's for your own safety."

She turns to look at him, jaw clenched hard.

"First off; I am not your 'dear', and second..." She glances back at her father. "You can't tell me what to do. I am a grown woman, I decide where I go."

"I am just trying to protect-"

"No!" She interrupts him. "You don't get to do this, father! You never gave a shit about my well being! So don't pretend you care right now. When I know full well that the two of you are just trying to control me."

"Eleanor, watch your tongue." He says with eyes full of warning, glancing at Rogers for a second before looking back at her.

"What your father is worried about..." The idiot begins and she looks at him "...is the impact it will have on you, needing to change your habits all of a sudden-"

"What the fuck do you mean?" She shakes her head slightly with a scowl.

"Well, a married woman can't really go to places like that."

_What the hell is his problem?_

"Well then, it's a good thing I don't have plans of getting married anytime soon, isn't it, Mr. Rogers?" She asks in a sarcastic tone and her father scoffs.

"Eleanor, this is not a game!" Richard's angry voice says. "Don't you see this is the best path for you? You have a bad reputation, every man knows about it, but Woodes doesn't care, he is willing to marry you despite what the rest of the high society says. It's a good match, and it will ensure the survival of our legacy. It's the only way!"

She looks at her father, disbelief written all over her features as she shakes her head.

"How can you put this on my shoulders?" She sounds so hurt and lost. But neither of the men notice.

Or care.

"Do you want your grandparents to die before they see you getting married? Is that what you want? See me ashamed of your reputation for the rest of my life? Let Rogers clean that reputation of yours by marrying you. Please, take that weight off my shoulders, or you will end up killing me. How can you be so selfish, Eleanor?"

She gets up abruptly, heading to the window and crossing her arms.

"It's so unfair." She says quietly, staring out at the gardens.

Rogers' phone rings and he answers the call.

"Yes?... I see... I'll be right there."

She hears him sigh, getting up from the couch.

"Sir, I'm afraid I have to go. We can continue this conversation some other time. Give your daughter some time to calm down."

She scoffs at his words.

"Eleanor. I hope you will see reason soon. Call me if you need anything." He says. She ignores him.

Soon the sound of the door to the office opening and closing reaches her ears.

Silence reigns for a few moments as she holds back tears.

Finally, her father sighs heavily.

"Sit down. You say I never talk to you. Well, now I want to talk. Come here."

She reluctantly moves away from the window, sitting down on the couch in front of him. He offers her a small smile and she rolls her eyes, looking down at her fingers.

"You finally have the chance to build something with me. Isn't this what you wanted your whole life?"

Her breath catches as she looks up at him.

"Marry Rogers. And the three of us will run this Company, together. You two will give me wonderful grandchildren, and our life will be perfect. Can you imagine it? We will travel together. Our château in the mountains. Your children playing in the snow. Nights spent in front of the fireplace while I tell them stories."

Tears come to her eyes and she tries hard to fight them away as her father continues. "Our beach house in Miami. I will teach them to swim while you and Rogers rest. Just imagine it, Eleanor. It will be everything you ever wanted. We will be happy. We will be a family."

He's hitting where it hurts, aiming straight at her weak spot, and the bastard  _knows._

She can't handle this.

She just can't.

Getting up and storming out of his office, she runs back to her suite, tears starting to stream down her face.

She locks the door before letting out a scream.

Everything he was promising her. It's all she ever wanted.

Her scream of despair echoes through the room as she sinks to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself.

Why must life be so cruel?

Why did she have to sacrifice so much in order to have what she always wanted?

And why now, of all times?

Now that she met Charles.

If he wasn't in her life, she knows she would probably be thinking seriously about accepting Rogers' advances right now.

She wanted to see if her father would keep his promises.

Images keep flashing through her mind, of him with her children.

Trips together. Weekends together. Holidays together.

_We will be a family._

She wants this.

She wants this so fucking much.

Wiping her tears away, she thinks about Rogers.

Would it hurt to wake up beside him every day?

To be his wife?

Dread settles in her stomach at the thought and she squeezes her eyes shut, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.

Marrying him was the price she would need to pay to have everything she always wanted. But was it worth it?

Reaching for her phone, she scrolls through her contacts, staring at the "C" on the list.

Fresh tears come to her eyes.

What was this sense of urgency and despair she felt?

The medium's words echo through her mind.  _"You have the chance to make the same choice again. Choose the right path this time. Listen to your heart, Eleanor."_

The right path...

What did this mean?

Listen to your heart?

The blonde scoffs silently.

She has never been the kind of person who does that. She prefers to be rational, to think with her head instead of her heart.

So why did she feel this strong urge to follow the medium's advice right now?

And what does her heart want?

Charles' blue eyes come to her mind.

Those beautiful, soulful, dangerous and familiar blue eyes.

She checks the time on her phone, mentally calculating how many hours she still had to wait for him to come.

It was just after 6 p.m. right now. She still had a while to wait.

Sighing, the blonde gets up from the floor, moving to sit on her bed.

What was she going to do?

If only she had her mother.

Without really thinking, she calls Madi, rubbing her forehead.

"I'll go." She says as soon as the girl answers her call. "Next week. I want to know what that medium has to say."

"That's great! I'm relieved to know that. The medium seemed so worried about you. Which is unusual. I've never seen her show such concern for someone."

"What's her name?" The blonde asks, suddenly wanting to know more about that woman. She could swear she had heard her voice somewhere before.

"It's kind of a secret. There's this fake name she uses at the spiritist house. Cora. No one really knows her real name."

_Cora._

"Hm. That's weird."

"She's your age."

Eleanor scoffs in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, seriously. I know she seems older. But that's because of what she goes through everyday."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, these people... Their spiritual gifts are a lot to handle, Eleanor. Seeing previous lives, spirits, talking to them, contacting the other side. It's really hard on them."

"So why do they keep doing it?"

"To help people. And Cora is the one who helps the most at the spiritist house. She's always putting others before her, always doing her best to help everyone who comes to her. So it's no wonder she looks older than her actual age. Not only that, but I'm sure that mentally, she is older too, due to everything she goes through."

"Does she ever get tired?"

"I used to think she didn't. But the last two times we've seen her, she looked different. Worried. I don't know. On our last visit, while we were leaving the house she grabbed my father's arm and said 'Thank you so much.' When he asked why she was thanking him, she just gave him this sad little smile and walked away. And she had tears in her eyes. I had never seen her like that."

Eleanor frowns. What a weird woman.

The blonde sighs, rubbing her eyes.

"Alright then. Let your father know I will go with you next week, okay?"

"I will. We'll talk later. I have a date tonight." She says in a hushed tone and Eleanor chuckles briefly at the girl's excitement.

Suddenly she wishes she could tell Madi about Charles.

"Well, have a good time then. And be careful. Let me know if he hurts you, so I can kick his ass."

The girl laughs on the other side of the line. "Don't worry. I will."

* * *

Anne stares up at the ceiling of the room with an empty look in her eyes, red hair spread out on the pillow.

Her head hurt. Her eyes hurt.

Everything was just so confusing.

She felt so lost.

Maybe she should follow Jack's advice and take the regressions easy for a while. This wasn't being good for her. Especially with the things she has been seeing lately.

She's not the kind of person who breaks easily.

Her uncle couldn't break her. The orphanage couldn't break her. Life as a criminal couldn't break her.

But this...

Everything she kept seeing...

It's so frustrating. She has seen so much of her previous life by now, why can't she just remember everything?

Anne feels like she's playing some sort of waiting game. Like she can recover all her memories any minute, but there's something that needs to happen to trigger this.

It's like something's coming, the right moment.

But when will it finally arrive?

And although she'll never admit it out loud, she's scared.

It was already really hard for her to handle the things she was seeing through the regressions, all of it conflicting with her current life. So much had happened to her. Experiences that caused her to question who she was.

_Max._

She shakes her head, not wanting to think about  _that._

She couldn't.

Quickly getting up from the bed, Anne scowls in disbelief when she notices it's already dark outside before heading out of the room.

Just as Charles emerges from his own room, putting on his leather jacket.

He nods briefly at her before heading to the door and Jack rolls his eyes from the couch.

"Charles-"

"Fuck you, Jack." Is all he says, interrupting his accomplice's words before leaving the hideout.

Anne is silent as she hears the motorcycle speeding out of the garage downstairs.

The redhead finally looks over at Jack, finding his worried, tired eyes on her.

"Is he going to the mansion?" She asks gruffly and her partner flinches, surely expecting an outburst.

"Yeah. He's going almost every night."

To his surprise, she doesn't say a thing, just watches him for a moment before heading to the fridge to retrieve a bottle of water.

As she drinks from it in silence, their eyes meet across the main space of the hideout and she sets the bottle on the table before clearing her throat.

"I'll take it easy from now on."

He frowns.

"What?"

Anne rolls her eyes. "The regressions, idiot. They're not being good for me."

She can literally see his eyes filling with relief before he closes them slowly with a nod, sighing deeply.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, darling."

She nods briefly, staring blankly at the water bottle before sighing and making her way over to the couch, wordlessly sitting down beside her partner.

"You can go back to our room."

He smiles. Finally. After three long weeks.

"Thanks. Are you still angry at me?"

"For as long as Charles keeps seeing that bitch, yes, I will be angry."

He nods and silence stretches for a while.

Eventually, she gets up, looking down at him, a strange glint in her eyes.

"It's gonna be you and me until the end, right?"

He frowns before getting up too, taken aback by her words and the look on her face.

His hands come to her crossed arms, thumbs rubbing small circles on them.

"What did I promise you at the orphanage two decades ago, darling?"

She averts her eyes and he sighs.

"That I would take care of you. That I would never leave you. Hey..." He lifts her chin, making her eyes meet his again. "I will never, ever break that promise, alright?"

She scoffs but nods anyway, turning to walk back to their room and letting him keep his arms around her shoulders as he walks with her.

"You know you love me." He says with a raised eyebrow to lighten the mood when they go inside their room and a smile tugs at her lips for a second before she elbows his ribs.

"Don't push your luck, Jack."

* * *

Charles barely has time to close the glass door and the curtains before Eleanor is kissing him desperately, already pushing his jacket off his shoulders.

Something's not right.

He frowns, pulling her away from his body to look her in the eyes.

"What happened?"

She shakes her head.

"Don't say a word."

He nods slightly, reaching to pull her into his arms but she stops his hands, taking off his jacket and shirt before pushing him into the bed, her breath hitching as she sees him there, shirtless, hungry eyes watching her, waiting.

She quickly unties her bathrobe and lets it drop to the floor before moving to straddle his hips, completely naked, keeping him from touching her when he tries to run his hands up her sides.

She holds his hands against the pillow on either sides of his head, her eyes locked with his.

"I'm the captain tonight."

He raises an eyebrow at that but says nothing.

He sees it in her eyes. Sees that she's angry at her father. At Rogers. They did something.

His thoughts are cut off when she brings her lips to his neck, to his birthmark.

She traces the faded line with her tongue for a moment before biting down on it, hard, her teeth almost breaking skin.

He loves it.

"Eleanor..."

She pulls away, smirking deviously at him before returning to his neck, eyes closing slowly as she bites down again.

And again, and again.

He groans, the sound going straight to her core and she grinds down on him to help ease the ache between her thighs.

Unable to wait any longer, the blonde quickly removes the rest of his clothes before returning to her previous position, a moan escaping her when she sinks down on him, taking him inch by inch before pausing to look at his face.

"Don't move until I give you permission."

He wants to give her a smart retort, but any words he might have said die on his throat as she rocks against him before starting to move up and down. She's hesitant at first, not really sure what to do and he realizes this is probably the first time she's doing this. But soon enough, she finds a rhythm that pleases her, closing her eyes and throwing her head back slightly with a small smile while he fights the urge to touch her.

She meets his eyes again, her nails digging down into his chest and shoulder, almost deep enough to draw blood.

It's rushed this time, harsh, and though it would be easy to just grab her hips and roll them over on the bed, he lets her take control, seeing that she needs this.

Whatever happened today with Rogers and her father to bother her so much, he just knows she needs to have complete control over something, that's what she needs to feel better in this moment.

And so he gives it to her.

"Please... Your voice..." She manages to breathe out the words and he smirks before obeying.

"What would they do if they could see you like this, huh, Princess?" It seems to be the perfect thing to say, as she gasps sharply and starts moving faster.

"You know you'll never be what they want you to be. And you fucking love it, don't you?"

Her breathy moans get louder at his words and he smirks to himself again as a quiet "Yes" leaves her lips, her face flushed.

She leans forward, closer, pinning his hands to the bed but bringing her breasts close to his face.

He gets the message, lifting his head from the pillow to capture a nipple between his teeth, running his tongue over it slowly and her eyes squeeze shut.

"Oh my God..." She breathes out, moving faster and faster as nonsense tumbles from her lips until she gives in, releasing his hands. "Move!"

He immediately grabs her ass, thrusting up into her violently as her mouth falls open.

"Fuck!" She yells, unable to contain herself, and in a matter of seconds, she comes undone. He takes advantage of that to roll them on the bed so he's on top, mercilessly thrusting into her as the waves of her climax continue to crash over her, intensified by his actions, causing her to see stars.

Seconds later, he falls apart as well, grunting out her name before biting down on her neck.

He meets her eyes for a moment before rolling off her, laying down on his back and pulling her body to his.

"Fuck, that was..." She trails off, extremely breathless, and he chuckles briefly, caressing her shoulders.

Charles eyes the scars on her thighs while they lay there trying to catch their breath. She watches silently as he traces the most recent ones with his fingers, sighing softly.

"It was around two months ago. Just before you broke into the mansion for the first time. After I woke up from the nightmares one night." He nods briefly, and she frowns as she notices something she hadn't before.

He has scars on his left wrist. And on his chest. And she had felt some on his back too.

"What happened to you? Who did this?" Her voice is quiet while she touches one of the scars on his chest.

He growls, moving away from her.

"It's none of your business."

His harsh tone and words make her heart sink and she scowls, moving to lay on her back and putting even more distance between them.

A few minutes drag by, their breathing the only sound in the room.

Suddenly Charles sighs heavily, getting up from the bed and starting to get dressed.

Eleanor frowns, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.

"Where are you going?"

He ignores her and she sits up in bed, hugging the blanket to her chest. "Charles. You leaving?" Despite her effort, her voice breaks slightly, much to her annoyance.

Hopefully he didn't notice.

By now, he's already reaching for his leather jacket, and only after putting it on, he looks her way, eyes softening a bit when he catches sight of her looking so vulnerable and sad.

"I'll see you some other time, Eleanor."

"Did I hit a nerve? It wasn't my intention."

"I know. But you did anyway. I gotta go." He moves closer to the bed and she gets up on her knees, letting the blanket drop as she reaches for him. He hesitates for a moment before letting her kiss him, his hands moving to grab her naked waist a bit too roughly and she gasps against his lips.

He pulls away, clenching his jaw and she sees the conflicted look in his eyes.

"It's okay. You didn't hurt me."

He shakes his head, moving to the balcony's door and opening the curtains before reaching for the doorknob.

"Charles... You don't have to." She tries one last time and he almost gives in when he sees the sad look on her face.

And her naked body.

"Yes. I do. Trust me. If something happens and you have a panic attack, call me. I'll come. See you, Miss Guthrie." His distant tone hurts.

And it hurts even more when he steps outside, closing the door behind him while the curtains fall closed again.

She bites her lower lip, taking a shuddering breath.

_Nice move, Eleanor._

Laying down, she feels tears coming to her eyes, breathing in his addictive and calming scent that still lingers on the sheets.

_What have I done?_

* * *

Charles watches the Guthrie mansion from a distance with a heavy heart.

All he wants to do is go back there and hold Eleanor in his arms. He can't forget the sad look in her eyes.

But he can't go back.

So he sighs heavily, putting on his helmet and starting the motorcycle.

The criminal is not ready to share his past with anyone.

He's not sure if he'll ever be ready.

Or if he even wants to.


	19. The Medium

It's been almost two weeks.

Almost two weeks, and there's no sign of him.

Eleanor sighs heavily, staring at herself in the mirror. Her appearance reflects the lack of sleep and the stress.

It's unnerving, really, the fact that she can't sleep without Charles. The nightmares and the night terrors simply refuse to leave her alone when he's not holding her in his arms.

She misses him.

His warmth, the sound of his heartbeat.

The way he looks at her.

Though she'll never admit it to herself, it also bothers her that there aren't any hickeys on her skin. This is just another painful reminder of his absence.

She slowly gets ready for the day, starting to wonder if instead of just hitting a nerve, she had actually cut it open.

Her mood only gets worse when she makes it to her father's office and hears Rogers' voice. But what makes her really angry is the conversation he's having with her father.

They are talking business.

Her father is actually talking business with him as if he's part of the family, as if he manages the Company with them.

Clenching her jaw hard, she walks in, keeping her face blank while they look up at her from the sofas in the middle of the room.

"Father, what is going on? I thought you and I were going to talk about the Trading Company."

"Woodes is doing us the favor of helping, Eleanor. He has some really good ideas about how to solve the issues we have been facing."

She scoffs.

"We don't need his help. I already have plenty of ideas." She says and Richard's eyes fill with warning while she sits down, careful to put some distance between herself and Rogers.

"Soon enough, he will be part of this family, Eleanor. He will manage the Company with us, so-"

"Oh, don't start." She interrupts him, rolling her eyes and rubbing her forehead.

Rogers clears his throat beside her.

"It's alright, Sir. Shall we continue our conversation, now that your lovely daughter has joined us?"

Her father nods and she clenches her jaw, anger rising in her chest.

She's beginning to loathe the way this idiot talks.

Just to think about listening to his voice every night before she goes to sleep and every morning when she wakes up, it's enough to make her anxious.

She prefers the deep, perfect voice of a certain criminal. That unique voice that never fails to send a shiver down her spine.

While they talk, she notices the way they try to keep her out of their discussion, sometimes acting as if she's not here at all. Eventually, she leans back on the couch, paying close attention to everything they were saying, looking for flaws in their ideas and plans so she could point them out later, to show them that her ideas were better.

Suddenly her phone vibrates on her lap and she looks down at the screen, eyes widening slightly when she sees the message that had just arrived.

_"C: How are you feeling?"_

She quickly grabs the phone, unable to contain her smile and causing her father to look over at her.

"Who is it?"

"Just Max." She lies quickly and Richard rolls his eyes before continuing the conversation. She notices the way Rogers' eyes linger on her phone and makes sure he's not able to see the screen, to see Charles' message. When he finally turns his attention back to her father, she begins to type her reply.

_"The usual. You okay?"_

_"C: Yes."_

Her heart sinks a little at his vague answer and she sighs softly, setting the phone back on her lap.

At least it was something. It was the first time she was hearing from him since that night two weeks ago.

Eleanor continues to listen to her father and Rogers' conversation, sitting up straight when they reach a topic she had been thinking a lot about. She knows exactly what they should do about it. So she begins to express her opinion, but her words are cut off when Rogers raises a finger at her.

"Just a minute, my dear." He says quickly, not even glancing at her.

She scowls at that, anger rising in her chest.

How dare he?

This isn't his family's Company.

And she's even angrier at her father. He acts as if she's not here. He didn't say a thing, didn't show a reaction at all when Rogers shut her out of their discussion.

A discussion about the Company she manages pretty much on her own.

Clenching her jaw, she pulls out her phone, opening her latest conversation.

_"Can I see you?"_

_"C: Did something happen?"_

_"My father and Rogers."_

_"C: Go to Max and Idelle's house."_

A smirk tugs at her lips and she fights it away before getting up, causing both men to look at her.

"I'll go out for a run. Father." She says and he just nods at her as Rogers gets up and reaches for her hand with a smile.

"Be careful, darling. We'll talk later." He says, flashing her a smile before dropping a kiss to her hand.

She stares blankly at him, pulling her hand away from his and turning to walk out of the office.

* * *

_**Six days ago** _

_Eleanor looks around the spiritist house nervously while she waits for Mr. Scott and Madi. They were talking to a medium a few feet away from her and she had decided to stay out of the conversation._

_She suddenly spots the woman from last time, holding her baby in her arms._

_A smile tugs at her lips for a second and she approaches her. The woman recognizes the blonde and smiles as they greet each other._

_"Can I?" Eleanor asks, gesturing at the baby while he watches her._

_"Of course! A friend of Scott's is a friend of mine."_

_Her heart feels lighter again as soon as she receives the infant in her arms, not even fumbling this time._

_The baby looks up at her with big blue eyes and she smiles._

_"Hi Noah. I held a few days ago but you were asleep. Nice to meet you, little angel."_

_He raises his tiny hands to her face and she lets out a brief laugh, eyes filling with affection while she slowly shifts her weight from one leg to the other._

_"You're pretty good at that. Are you a mother too?"_

_Eleanor opens her mouth to answer, but another woman's voice interrupts her._

_"She was. Once." The blonde frowns, looking over her shoulder._

_Cora._

_The woman smiles at her. "A long time ago. Even if you died before you could have your baby, you were already a mother nonetheless."_

_"What do you mean?" She asks in a confused tone, subconsciously holding Noah closer to her chest._

_The medium simply smiles at her natural protective instinct towards the infant._

_"I'm glad you came back. You are definitely going to need some guidance. Your previous life was a really complicated one, and it left some big scars on your soul. Would you mind coming with me for a minute?"_

_Eleanor looks down at the baby in her arms, sighing at the thought of having to give him back to his mother._

_But she forces a smile and carefully does it anyway, caressing his hair lovingly for a moment before leaving with the medium._

_They walk out a back door of the spiritist house and through a long corridor, reaching another door at the end of it. A few people in white were sitting on two benches, looking like they were waiting for something._

_"Take your shoes off. And don't cross your arms or ankles. Keep your body and mind relaxed."_

_"What's gonna happen?"_

_"Nothing you don't want. I assure you. We won't force you to do anything. But I think it's time you see some of what happened to you in your previous life. Do you want to?"_

_Her heart skips a beat._

_"Yes."_

_Cora smiles and holds the door open for her._

_"Let's get to it then."_

_They go inside the room. It's dark and there are three mediums meditating by one of the walls. A shiver goes down her spine._

_The woman gestures at a couch. "Lay down and close your eyes."_

_She's nervous. But there's something about Cora that makes her feel safe._

_Something that makes Eleanor trust her._

_So she lays down on the couch, closing her eyes and feeling her heart beat fast in her chest as the medium approaches her._

_Her hands move over her body for a moment before her familiar voice reaches her ears._

_"I will make you travel to the past, slowly... See your childhood. Things you may or may not remember..." There's a pause and the woman lets out a shuddering breath. Is she nervous?_

_"Now, with each number I say, you will travel further and further into your past. When I reach one, you will travel to your past life. Nine..."_

_Her pre-teen years. How she had longed to have her mother so she could help her understand and deal with the changes in her body._

_"...Eight..."_

_The trip to Italy with her father when she was 9 years old. She had been so hopeful, thinking he would spend time with her. Instead, he disappeared to take care of business and left her with the nanny the whole time._

_"...Seven..."_

_Her first missing tooth. How Mr. Scott had tried to tell her about the tooth fairy, but she simply scoffed, and told him that such things didn't exist._

_"...Six..."_

_Her 6th birthday. She spent it with Mr. Scott. Richard traveled and left her alone. But the other man and his family threw her a surprise party and made sure she had as much fun as she possibly could_

_"...Five..."_

_The first time she had the nightmare about Charles being hanged._

_Her father shutting her out when she tried going to him. How scared she had felt back then._

_"...Four..."_

_Mr. Scott holding her in his arms the first time he saw her. Her 2 year old self clinging tightly to him while he gently cradled the back of her head._

_"...Three..."_

_Her 3 month old self in the crib, crying her eyes out while Richard stared down at her, eyes filled with anger and disgust._

_"Your nanny thinks you miss your father, that's what causes you to be so difficult. But do you want to know why I'm distant? Because every time I look at you, you little pest, I want to drown you in the pool. You are a murderer. You took the woman I loved from me. You killed your mother. If it wasn't for you, she would still be here right now."_

_Her breath catches at that newly resurfaced memory and Cora's lower lip trembles, a lone tear running down her cheek._

_"...Two..."_

_There's a man singing._

_"Billow and breeze, islands and seas, mountains of rain and sun... All that was good, all that was fair, all that was you, is gone..."_

_This memory is from shortly after she was born._

_Her vision is so blurry. But she can see his blue eyes, filled with emotion and barely contained tears._

_His reddish beard._

_She feels the way his thumb softly caresses her cheek, filling her heart with warmth._

_His voice... She knows that voice._

_Suddenly she doesn't want to travel any further. She just wants to stay here in this moment, with this man._

_He makes her feel safe._

_But..._

_"...One."_

_And she opens her eyes to a loud tavern filled with pirates._

_Looking around, she feels anxious all of a sudden. These men look dangerous. And as much as she wants to be brave, she's in a strange place, with strange people._

_Anything could happen._

_And she doesn't have her knife._

_Looking down at her body, she notices the strange clothes. A long skirt that reached to her ankles._

_What the hell?_

_"They're back!" A voice yells from outside and some of the pirates tense immediately, watching the doors in silence._

_"Shit. The streets have been so peaceful for the last three weeks. Now this fucking crew will turn them into hell again."_

_One of the men sitting at the nearest table says and his friend shakes his head, taking a drink from the glass in his hand._

_"Say that to Captain Vane's face."_

_Captain Vane..._

_Who was that?_

_As if to answer her thoughts, the doors are suddenly thrown open and savage looking men start to come inside, talking loudly and spreading chaos._

_"Fuck." She hears her own voice say as she looks around, searching for something._

_Someone._

_Three people catch her eyes._ _She knows them._ _Jack. Anne._

_Charles._

_Leaving the couple behind, he starts coming her way with a smirk on his face._

_"What did I say about your fucking crew?" Her angry voice asks as soon as he reaches her._

_"Nice to see you too."_

_"Charles, I'm serious."_

_He sighs, moving one hand to her cheek. She slaps it away._

_"What are you thinking?" She looks around, seeing a man watching them closely with a scowl on his face._

_Mr. Scott._

_"You can't touch me like that in front of everyone!" She says in a hushed tone._

_He rolls his eyes briefly, looking over at Mr. Scott for a second before focusing his attention on her._

_"Then come with me to my tent. We'll see if you'll complain about me touching you once we're in there." He says in a low voice, sending a wave of heat straight to her core. He probably notices the way her breath catches, as subtle as it was, because a smug smirk tugs at his lips._

_But she quickly recovers her composure, scoffing at him._

_"You have got to be kidding me. You left all of a sudden and were gone for weeks!"_

_"It wasn't the first time, why are you so angry about that?"_

_"Because you didn't even tell me where you were going! There was a huge storm last week, two ships sank, no one survived! And since I didn't know where you and your stupid crew were, I stayed here, thinking one of the ships might have been the Ranger!"_

_As soon as the words leave her mouth, she frowns._

_Shit._

_That didn't sound quite the way she had expected._

_It sounded like she had spent all the time extremely worried about him. And well, that was the truth._

_But he didn't need to know that._

_He raises one of his eyebrows, a smug smirk coming to his face._

_In this moment, she really wants to slap him. And then kiss him until they were breathless._

_Her eyes linger on his lips and he chuckles briefly, leaning forward._

_"Is there something you want, Miss Guthrie?"_

_She rolls her eyes at him, trying to ignore how the feeling of his breath on her face made her shiver, how his proximity caused her heart to speed up._

_She notices a few of the pirates glancing curiously at them, notices the way Mr. Scott is watching them closely with a scowl on his face._

_And she notices a man making his way inside the tavern._

_He's wearing a leather coat, his blue eyes settling on her. The reddish beard catches her attention._

_He's the same man who was holding her when she died._

_"If you'll excuse me." She tells Charles, moving to walk past him and he looks over his shoulder._

_A growl escapes him when he sees the other man, and he grabs her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She looks back at him in disbelief._

_"I don't like him."_

_She scoffs, yanking her wrist free from his grasp._

_"Well, that is your problem, not mine. I need to talk to Flint, just go get drunk. Oh, and keep your fucking crew in line, or I won't go to your tent later."_

_He clenches his jaw hard as she leaves him, making her way over to the newly arrived man._

_"What was that?" He asks her, keeping his eyes on Charles as he glares daggers at him._

_"Just ignore him. Come with me."_

_As they begin to head to the big double doors, a woman's voice reaches her ears._

_"Come back."_

_And she opens her eyes to the dark room of the spiritist house._

_Cora is watching her closely; relief flickering through her eyes when she sees Eleanor is okay._

_"Why did you bring me back so soon? I needed to see more, there was a man, I'm trying to find out more about him, and you brought me back just as we were about to have a conversation!"_

_"It's not safe for someone to spend too much time having a regression."_

_"But... I wasn't-"_

_"Eleanor. You were in trance for 20 minutes."_

_She frowns in disbelief._

_"Well... Can I go back? Please. I really need to know who that man is."_

_Cora shakes her head._

_"No. If you want to have another regression, come back next week. End of the story. And don't even think about trying to do it on your own." She sounds like a mother scolding her child, and once more, Eleanor has trouble believing they're actually the same age._

_She sighs as they leave the room, walking through the corridor._

_As they come to a stop by the door to the main space of the house, Cora takes one of Eleanor's hands in hers._

_"Please don't stop coming here. You need my guidance." She says, her kind eyes filled with emotion._

_"Why do you even care so much?" She's taken aback when the woman holds her face in her hands, eyes glinting with unshed tears._

_"Will you let me help you, Eleanor?"_

_Again, it feels like the medium is a lot older. Must be the protective look in her brown eyes._

_Speaking of them, they look weird. Unreal._

_She soon realizes the medium is wearing contacts._

_That makes it even harder for Eleanor to remember where she knows this woman from. Now she looks less familiar._

_Was that the reason she changed her eye color? Was she trying to disguise herself? Why?_

_And somehow, Eleanor knows that her hair color is not natural either. She just knows this woman wasn't born with dark brown hair._

_The blonde frowns, staring at her oddly familiar face._

_"Who are you?" She asks in a quiet voice and Cora gives her a sad smile._

_"A friend."_

* * *

The red Porsche comes to a stop in front of Max and Idelle's house and Eleanor's heart skips a beat when she sees the long haired criminal leaning against the motorcycle as he smokes a cigarette.

A smile tugs at her lips while she gets out of her car, locking it before making her way over to him.

Charles finishes the cigarette, tossing it aside and looking at her.

"What happened?" He asks, taking a look around them.

"Well... I was supposed to have a conversation with my father today, about the Trading Company, but-"

"Wait." He cuts her off, noticing the way people are starting to stare at them. Her car draws too much attention.

So he heads to the door of the house, knocking hard and she follows him.

A disheveled, hungover Idelle opens the door with a grimace on her face, wearing an oversized shirt and pajama shorts. She moves away from the door, letting the pair inside before closing it again.

"Make yourselves at home. I'm going back to bed."

"Where's Max?" The blonde asks and Idelle shrugs.

"No idea. She left earlier." The dark haired beauty says, yawning and heading back to the bedroom. But she stops suddenly, turning around and looking accusingly at Eleanor. "And don't think you escaped, Miss Guthrie! Later, you're gonna tell me everything about you and him." She says, gesturing towards Charles, and Eleanor rolls her eyes with a sigh.

When Idelle finally goes back inside the bedroom and closes the door behind her, the blonde slowly meets the criminal's eyes.

"Are you still angry?"

He sighs, sitting down on the couch. She joins him.

"I wasn't angry. Just needed some time. Now go on and tell me what happened. Did Rogers touch you?"

"It wasn't that. As I was saying, my father and I were supposed to discuss about the Company today, solve a few issues. But when I arrived at his office, Rogers was there. They were talking like he was part of the family, like he managed the Company with us. They did their best to keep me out of their conversation, and when I tried saying something, Rogers raised his finger at me and cut me off. My father didn't even show a reaction. If anything, I think he actually liked that. It made me so angry. And then that idiot had the audacity to kiss my hand before I left. He disgusts me." She finishes with a sigh and Charles thinks about her words.

"What are you gonna do about that?"

"There's not much I can do. If I talk to my father, I just know he will take Rogers' side."

Silence stretches for a few seconds before the criminal meets her eyes, concern written on his face.

"Eleanor... About the wedding..."

She covers her face with her hands, sighing heavily.

"I don't know... I don't know." Tears come to her eyes and she tries hard to fight them, looking up at him again. "If I refuse him... All this is only going to get worse, but I can't..." Her voice breaks slightly and she stops talking, shaking her head and looking down at her lap.

"You know... If you want... I can take care of Rogers for you. Your father can't force you to marry that idiot if he's dead, can he?"

Eleanor lets out a brief laugh, frowning when she meets his eyes.

He's actually serious about this.

"Charles. No. Please."

"Why not?"

"He has too much influence over this city, if you kill him..." She trails off, shaking her head. "I don't want you to end up in jail because of me."

He chuckles briefly. "I'm uncatchable, Princess, remember?"

"I swear to God, if you keep calling me that, I'll start to call you Charlie."

His eyes fill with disgust and she smirks.

"You secretly love when I call you Princess. I see it in your eyes."

"Stop trying to tell me what I think. You sound ridiculous."

"Do I?" He asks in a low tone, reaching to pull her on his lap, making her breath catch.

She sees the familiar challenge in his eyes and smiles, leaning forward to kiss him, unable to resist.

He hums in approval and she moves her legs to straddle his lap, her hands going to his hair while his move under her shirt.

God, she had missed him.

He eventually starts trailing kisses and bites down her neck, causing her to shiver and sigh in satisfaction.

"Max will be here any minute." She says and as if on cue, the front door opens, revealing her friend.

"Fuck." The blonde curses under her breath, pulling away from him slightly and trying to look more innocent.

Max just raises one her eyebrows with a smirk, closing the door behind her.

"Well... I see you two are back on good terms."

"You could say that." Charles says and Eleanor hits his chest, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"So... What's going on?" Max asks as Eleanor gets up.

"I just needed to get out of that mansion for a while. Can you believe my father and Rogers were having a conversation about the Company, as if that idiot is part of the family? And they kept me out of it."

Her friend shakes her head with a frown.

"That Company would fall apart without you. Richard Guthrie is really starting to get on my nerves, and so is Rogers."

Eleanor nods in agreement and Charles clears his throat, getting up from the couch too.

"My offer stands. All you have to do is ask."

Max frowns. "What offer?"

The blonde sighs, shaking her head. "He offered to kill Rogers."

Her friend's eyebrows raise in surprise. "He's willing to kill for you? How sweet. Looks like you two are starting to get serious, huh?" She says with a smirk and Eleanor rolls her eyes, turning around to look at the criminal.

"Will you go to my room tonight?"

He nods before picking his helmet up from the coffee table and moving to stand in front of her.

"See you tonight." His deep, perfect voice says while he brushes her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering to caress her cheek as a smile tugs at her lips.

When he leaves the house, Max looks at her with a smirk.

"Don't start." The blonde complains, dropping back to the couch with a sigh.

"I didn't say anything." Her friend says, joining her. "He would kill for you, Eleanor. Things between the two of you are starting to get serious. And just answer one question: If it comes down to it, will you accept his offer and ask him to kill Rogers?"

Eleanor shakes her head immediately, frowning, fear flickering in her blue-green eyes. "Not a chance."

"And why is that?"

"Because as much as he claims to be uncatchable, this would be too big. The chances of him being found and thrown into jail would be too high."

This seems to be the answer Max was expecting, as she smiles with a nod.

"What?"

"Well... Normally, the Eleanor I know wouldn't give a shit about that."

"What do you mean?"

"Rogers' death would be the solution to your problems, and if someone offered to kill him for you, you would accept it, without even thinking about the consequences the person would need to deal with. Unless..." She trails off and Eleanor frowns. "Unless it was someone you really, really cared about, someone... you loved."

She finishes and the blonde scoffs.

"Are you trying to say that I love Charles?"

"Maybe... who knows."

"You're watching too many movies."

The bedroom door opens and Idelle steps out with a laugh.

_Oh, great._

"Stop lying to yourself, it's being painful to watch this." She says, heading over to join them on the couch.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Eleanor asks with a scowl.

"I just woke up, don't worry. Hey, you might want to borrow some makeup before you go back home." Idelle says and Max bursts out laughing.

The blonde frowns in confusion. "Why?"

"You have a, um..." The dark haired woman trails off, gesturing to her neck and Eleanor blushes slightly, realizing that Charles must have left marks on her skin.

"He offered to kill for her, isn't this sweet, Idelle?"

"Damn, this is a love story better than Titanic!"

The two start laughing again and Eleanor rubs her forehead. They will never stop teasing her about this.

"Fuck, this is crazy. How small the world is. When I found out you were seeing someone, I would have never imagined it was Charles." Idelle says, shaking her head.

"How long have you known him?"

"I'm not sure. A few years. So, is it true? You're in love with him?"

"We sleep together, it's not..."

"Oh, shut up. I can see it in your eyes. And I don't blame you, really. I mean, he's insanely hot, isn't he? That voice... Not to mention, he is amazing in bed!"

The blonde rolls her eyes, unable to contain her small smirk and Max clears her throat, getting up abruptly. "Alright, alright! I have no desire to hear about  _that._ " She says, heading to the bedroom. "I'll go get the makeup for you, Eleanor."

As soon as she's out of their sight, the blonde looks over at Idelle before saying in a conspiring, hushed voice. "He really is amazing in bed."

The other woman winks at her. "I know right!" She starts to laugh and Eleanor lets out a small chuckle, shaking her head, her heart feeling a lot lighter now.

* * *

"Sorry I left like that." The criminal's deep voice says and she looks up at him as they lay in her bed trying to catch their breath, the soft glow from her bedside table's lamp illuminating them.

"Hmm?"

"That night, two weeks ago. I saw you were going through some inner conflict, and I left you alone anyway."

"It's okay. I shouldn't have asked about your scars."

"My past is not pretty, Eleanor. And I don't really feel like sharing it with anyone."

She nods.

"I have stuff I don't feel like sharing too. So I understand."

"Good." He says, holding her closer to his body. "What did you do, during the past two weeks?"

"Not much. Fought with my father, fought with Rogers, fought with the servants." He chuckles briefly and she continues. "I even yelled at poor Mr. Scott once. I feel awful about it, but thankfully he understood."

"Sounds like you were really stressed."

She nods into his chest. "I was. I couldn't sleep. And that reflected on my mood."

Silence stretches for a few minutes before he tugs on her hair, making her look up to meet his eyes.

"Admit it."

She frowns. "What?"

"You missed me."

She narrows her eyes at him, wanting to deny it. But somehow, she knew he would see right through her.

So she smirks at him. "I missed... the sex."

He laughs, letting go of her hair and she hides her face in the crook of his neck, unable to stop smiling.

Eventually, she looks up at him again.

"I went to the spiritist house again. This time, I had a regression." He raises an eyebrow, watching her closely as she continues. "I saw a tavern. Mr. Scott. Pirates. You."

"What exactly did you see?"

"You came into the tavern, with your crew. Anne and Jack were among them. You came up to me, and I was angry. Apparently, you had left suddenly, without telling me where you were going. There had been a storm, two ships sank and there weren't any survivors. And since I didn't know where you were, I was worried that one of the sunken ships were yours."

"My ship... Do you know what her name was?"

"Yeah. I said it. It was the Ranger."

He nods. "That's the same name Anne and I saw during our regressions. Anything else?"

"Yes. A man came inside the tavern and I needed to talk to him about something. You didn't like him, and tried to stop me from going to him. But I did anyway. Shortly after that, the medium brought me back."

"What else did we talk about?"

"Your crew. I was angry because they were such savages. I told you that if you didn't keep them in line, I wouldn't go to your tent later."

He frowns, caressing her arm and her naked back. "When I had my first regression... I saw the two of us, in the captain's quarters of the Ranger. You were angry at my crew back then too. You had asked me to find a way to make them less savage and wild. And apparently, I wasn't too keen on the idea."

"All of this is so weird. I'm still having trouble dealing with it." She says, looking up at his face with a frown. "What do you think happened to us, Charles? Obviously, we were together back then, and cared for each other. But Cora, the medium, said that a man destroyed me. You said you thought he was Rogers, and a while ago, I had this weird dream. I was in Rogers' bed. But why?" She shakes her head slightly and Charles frowns when he sees tears coming to her eyes. Her voice is quiet when she continues to talk. "And... when you were hanged... why didn't I do anything to stop it? I didn't even try. I just stood there and watched as you died. Why?" Her voice breaks slightly and he sighs.

"I don't know, Eleanor. I don't know." He brushes her hair behind her ear before caressing her chin. "It's all so confusing. We should try to put together the things we know. The things Jack, Anne, you and me saw during our regressions. Maybe it will jog up our memory." She nods, but fear settles on her stomach at the thought of her and Charles remembering their past lives. For some reason, she feels this is a threat to the happy and calm moments she secretly loves to share with him.

But she really wants to remember too.

So they share their experiences. He tells her all about his accomplices' regressions, as well as his own.

They do feel a pull on their minds, but nothing happens.

Eleanor sighs, sitting up in bed and gripping her aching head.

Charles sits up too, reaching to touch her shoulder.

"Don't worry. We will remember. It may take us a while, but we will."

She nods, a smirk tugging at her lips when an idea forms in her brain. She looks at him, leaning in to kiss his lips before getting up from the bed.

He stares as she teasingly makes her way to the door of her bathroom.

"I'll go take a shower. Want to come with me, Captain?" She asks, looking back at him over her shoulder.

He growls, immediately getting up and making his way over to her with predatory eyes.

* * *

Outside, the silhouette of a woman can be seen in the shadows.

As the medium watches the mansion, a small smile tugs at her lips. She's happy to see that the little fight two weeks ago didn't tear them apart. They're already together again.

Which means Eleanor is safe.

For now.

She will need to keep watching her closely. Make sure nothing happens to her. Especially now. There are hard times coming.

She will need her guidance.

Cora slowly blows a kiss in the direction of Eleanor's balcony before turning around to walk back to her car with a heavy heart, tears streaming down her face.

 


	20. It's my own Remorse

"It wasn't your fault. You know that, right? Despite what Richard says."

Eleanor looks up at Cora with a frown on her face. "What?"

"You may have made a lot of mistakes. But your mother's death wasn't your fault. You were just a baby... a beautiful, innocent baby. You're not a murderer."

She notices the way the medium's voice breaks slightly, watching her closely.

"Can I ask you something, Cora?"

"Yes, my dear, of course."

"Why do you wear contacts, dye your hair and use a fake name? Why are you trying to disguise yourself? Are you trying to hide from someone?"

A small smile comes to the woman's face and she nods slightly. "Shall we get started?" She asks, gesturing to the couch in the dark room of the spiritist house.

The blonde nods, knowing she won't get the answers she wants just yet.

_This time, the regression isn't pleasant in the least. She had been expecting to see more moments with Charles, but he wasn't with her._

_No. She was alone in a dark place. Trapped. And when the door opened, the person who came in made her blood run cold._

_Rogers._

_He begins to read from a paper while she watches him. Why did she need to see this? Instead of seeing more of Charles, or that man with the reddish beard?_

_This moment was making her feel so awful, so nervous, so… guilty._

_And she soon figures out why._

_"You want to civilize Nassau? That is the only name you need concern yourself with."_

_No..._

_"As long as he is alive, you cannot succeed."_

_No, no, no. **NO!**_

_She wants to scream. She wants to die._

"Eleanor, come back!" Cora's voice reaches her ears and she opens her eyes, shooting up on the couch, breathing ragged and heart beating wildly in her chest.

The medium is watching her closely, eyes filled with concern.

"You were so agitated, I was worried."

"I... I betrayed him..." Is all she manages to say, tears burning in her eyes.

Cora sighs, reaching to pull her into a hug, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"It's okay, my dear… It's going to be okay." She whispers, one hand cradling the back of Eleanor's head in a motherly gesture.

"No... I see it now, it... It was my fault he died, it was all my fault... I killed him!" She pushes the medium away from her, getting up on unsteady feet while a tear runs down her cheek.

"Eleanor-"

"No!" She snaps, rushing out of the room and through the corridor, not even remembering to tell Mr. Scott and Madi she was leaving.

Once outside, she gets into the Porsche, pulling out her phone.

After she finds Charles' number, it takes her a while to type the message she wants to send him. Her hands are shaky, her vision blurry, and she's trying really hard not to have a breakdown.

_"I'm heading over to that other hideout. Meet me there. Please."_  More tears stream down her face as she sends him the message before driving off.

* * *

She doesn't say a word to the criminal while he unlocks the door and they go inside, going up the stairs and reaching the room at the second floor.

He closes the door behind them, watching as she goes over to the window to look outside, her hands trembling.

"Eleanor. What happened?" He asks, worry evident in his voice. Only then she looks at him and his heart clenches when he sees her red eyes and her tear stained face.

A sob escapes her lips, going straight to his heart, and then she quickly closes the distance between them, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hiding her face in the crook of his neck as she begins to cry violently, hating herself for it but unable to stop.

He's taken aback but brings his arms around her waist protectively, holding her tightly while muttering reassuring words into her ear.

Once she calms down a little, he pulls away with a frown, meeting her eyes.

"You gonna tell me what happened? Is it your father? Rogers?"

She shakes her head.

"No... It's me." Her voice is so quiet. So shaky. It doesn't sound like her at all.

He doesn't like this.

Carefully guiding her to the bed, he watches as she sits down, shaking, before he joins her.

"What do you mean?" He asks, trying to keep his voice as soft as he possibly could and taking one of her hands in his.

"I... I did something..."

His eyes fill with alarm. "Have you been cutting?"

"No. It's not that..."

"Tell me."

She shakes her head, fresh tears coming to her eyes while she watches the birthmark on his neck.

Reaching to brush her fingers over it, a choked sob escapes her.

"I can't. I..." She meets his eyes before leaning forward to kiss the faded line around his neck.

He closes his eyes with a sigh, enjoying the feeling. Her gesture fills his heart with warmth.

This isn't good. This isn't good at all.

But while the shaking blonde trails kisses on his birthmark, her hot tears falling to his skin, he can't bring himself to push her away.

He just wants to make whatever was bothering her so much go away.

"I'm sorry..." He barely hears her whisper into the skin of his neck, frowning.

Why the hell was she apologizing?

"It's okay..." He says softly. Even though he had no idea what she was apologizing for, he still wanted to make her feel better.

She shakes her head, but remains silent. Eventually she pulls away, having calmed down a bit. She leans back against a pillow, rubbing her swollen eyelids with a scowl.

She's so exhausted after all that crying, and it makes his heart clench.

Eleanor looks up at him, hesitant, before asking in a quiet, shaky voice. "Can we stay here tonight? I don't want to go home."

Affection spreads in his chest and he nods before moving to help her out of the uncomfortable skinny jeans, as well as the expensive shirt and blazer.

The criminal strips down to his underwear too, frowning in confusion when she reaches for the shirt in his hands. He gives it to her, watching in silence as she puts it on.

"I'm cold, and it has your scent." The blonde explains quietly, avoiding his eyes.

A smile tugs at his lips and he enjoys the sight of her in his shirt before moving to lay down beside her, pulling the blankets over their bodies while she moves closer to him.

He holds her close with a sigh and she takes a deep breath, one hand going to his chest, over his heart, wanting,  _needing_  to feel his heartbeat.

As always, it soothes her.

It reminds her that he's alive, that he's here, holding her in his arms, instead of standing on a cart and looking at her with anger in his eyes.

Instead of hanging.

Images of his dying body flash through her mind, his neck twisted in a strange angle while he spasmed for a while, still alive, before going completely still.

She gasps sharply, unable to drive the image away from her mind.

Her heart beats wildly while she sits up in bed, covering her face with her hands, fresh tears rolling from her eyes.

"What is it, Eleanor?" She feels Charles sit up too, his arms coming to her shoulders, and she fights him for a second before exhaling deeply and letting him pull her to his chest, pressing her face to his warm skin and wrapping her arms around him.

"I can't... get that scene out of my head... the hanging, I just can't..."

He sighs, trying to come up with a way to distract her.

Finally, he moves them so they're laying down again, still holding her tightly in his arms. The criminal hesitates for a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak.

"When I was 9... Jack and I started to try to escape from the orphanage. Anne wasn't there yet. We were caught and punished a few times. They even tried to keep us apart, but we didn't give up. Eventually, we made it. The feeling of freedom, as soon as we stepped foot out of that place... I can't explain it. It called to something primitive, deep inside me. I still remember that night clearly. Remember how we went to see the ocean. It simply called out to me. Now I understand why."

She listens in silence, unable to believe he was actually sharing some of his past with her.

"A year later, Anne arrived. I thought Jack was crazy, giving up on our escape plans to stay with that strange, hardened 5 year old girl. But I understood his reasons."

She frowns, looking up at him. "What do you mean?"

He hesitates again before sighing, his fingers drawing patterns on her back through his shirt.

"When Jack was around 6 years old, he still had a family. He lived with his mom, his dad, who didn't really care much about him, and his baby sister. She was almost 1 year old when it happened."

"When what happened?"

"Jack accidentally caused a fire in the house. It wasn't his fault. But they lived in a secluded small house, completely made of wood. The fire spread fast. He and his father were able to escape, since they were close to the front door. But the fire blocked the stairs to the second floor... Where his mom and little sister were sleeping."

Her breath catches and she looks up at him as he continues. "By the time help arrived, the house was already completely consumed by the fire. Jack once told me that as he stood there with his father, watching the house burn, he could hear his sister crying. He said the sound has been haunting him since that night. His father was crazy about that baby. She was his world. So after this, he sank into depression and alcoholism. He would tell Jack every day, that it was his fault his mom and sister were dead. And he believed him. Eventually, his father couldn't bear to look at him anymore, so he abandoned him. That's how he ended up in the orphanage."

Eleanor scowls, not failing to recognize how familiar this situation was. Her father had blamed her too, for her mother's death.

Looks like she and Jack have more in common than it initially seemed.

"That's awful..." Is all Eleanor manages to say, and Charles nods.

"So you can understand why, years later, he was drawn to Anne the minute he saw her. A 5 year old, alone in the world, obviously hurt and damaged. She was around the same age his sister would be if she was alive. In his mind, I think he saw in her a chance to redeem himself. So he took care of her, and soon enough, he was the only one she allowed to stay close to her. It took almost two years for him to convince her to let me near her too."

She sighs, shaking her head, and silence stretches for a few minutes before she meets his eyes.

"Did you ever want to find your birth parents?"

He sighs. "I did. A long time ago. At first, I tried convincing myself that they had a reason to leave me at the orphanage. But eventually, as I got older, I realized that they simply didn't want me and that was it. And I had no desire to humiliate myself, begging for the love of two people who wanted nothing to do with me. Of course, I'm curious about them. I'll always be. But as long as I'm concerned, they can both burn in hell."

She nods. "You never had the slightest clue as to who they were?"

He gestures to his necklace, the anchor pendant illuminated by the moonlight.

"Whoever they were, they left this with me. It's all I know."

She brushes her fingers over the pendant, only now realizing she had calmed down.

Gratitude sparks in her chest.

He opened up a little about his past, as difficult as that was for him, just so she could feel better.

Eleanor frowns, suddenly seeing that Max was right. Whatever this thing between her and Charles is, it's more serious than what she had wanted it to be. And as she meets his eyes, she sees he's thinking the same thing.

"How the hell did this happen? How did we lose control over this so fast, so easily?" He asks and she shakes her head.

"I don't know...I don't know."

He sighs, holding her closer and minutes drag by before she gives up, biting her lip and taking a deep breath. "Charles... Thank you so much for this."

He nods, and she continues to talk. "Not only for this, but... everything. For making me feel free. For saving me from Ned that night. For helping me escape that mansion for a while. Helping me sleep well. For... staying." Her voice breaks slightly when she says that last word and his heart clenches for her.

"It's okay."

"I don't deserve any of this..."

He frowns. "What do you mean?"

She shakes her head. "Forget it. Just... thank you."

"I should thank you too. For not selling me out to Rogers."

At his words, her breath catches and she hides her face in the crook of his neck. He feels her tears on his skin again.

It seems that in this moment, that was the worst thing he could have said, for some reason.

He mentally kicks himself, noticing she was crying again, and tried to think about something to calm her down.

"You know, if you want... we can stay away for a weekend, or something like that. Go somewhere. Just the two of us. So you'll have a break from your father and Rogers."

She slowly looks up at him with a slight frown.

"You would do that for me?"

He nods. "Yeah."

A small smile comes to her lips and she leans in to kiss him briefly, smile widening when she pulls away.

"Yes. I'd love that."

"Then it's settled."

She lets out a small laugh, nodding at him before watching his face for a while, biting her lip with a hesitant look in her eyes.

"You want to say something. What is it?"

_I'm in love with you._

She sighs, hesitating for a few moments and he waits patiently.

"I think... That I may be developing feelings for you."

He raises his eyebrows. That was the last thing he was expecting.

She managed to catch him off guard.

"And I also think that tomorrow, I am going to regret saying that, but I don't care. After what I saw in my regression earlier, I just..."

He cuts her off with a kiss, caressing her cheek when he pulls away. "Well Princess, and I think we're on the same boat."

"You really mean that?"

He nods and she smiles, relieved to see that admitting their feelings didn't ruin things between them.

Well, at least not yet.

"You know you can tell me what you saw in the regression if you want."

"I know. But... I don't wanna talk about it. Or even think about it."

"It's okay. But there's something else on your mind, Eleanor. Besides the regression, besides the whole situation with Rogers and your father. There's something you're not telling me."

She frowns, looking up at him. "How the fuck do you do that? Not even Mr. Scott can read me like that."

He smirks. "Open book."

She sighs, a small smile tugging at her lips anyway. "There's this medium at the spiritist house. She's familiar, I think I knew her in my previous life. But she disguises herself. Wears contacts, dyes her hair. Uses a fake name. So I'm having some trouble with remembering who she is. It's bugging me. Because I feel it's important."

"If it's important, sooner or later you'll find out."

"I guess... But I hate waiting."

He chuckles, pressing a kiss to her forehead and holding her close. "I know."

She brings her hand to his necklace, closing her fingers around the anchor and tugging on it, kissing his lips with a small smile.

They lay there in silence, staring at each other until a yawn escapes her, one of her hands moving to cover her mouth.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up if there are nightmares."

She nods, bringing one hand to the back of his neck to grasp at his hair while the other held on to his necklace, quickly falling asleep in his arms.

Charles kisses her forehead again with a sigh.

Things will probably be different now. Even if tomorrow they act as if this never happened. They crossed a line tonight, and there's no going back.

His fate is intertwined with Eleanor's, it seems.

And honestly, right now the criminal doesn't give a shit about it.

* * *

The crying of a baby echoes through his mind, as well as the sounds of a house burning.

Jack shoots up in bed, breathless, his heart filling with pain.

Anne looks at him with a sleepy frown as she wakes up and he sighs heavily, getting up, heading to a dresser and opening one of the drawers.

He rummages through it for a moment before finding an old, though well preserved photograph of a 8 month old baby girl. She was sitting up in her crib, smiling brightly at the camera, big brown eyes filled with innocent happiness. Her dark hair, exactly the same tone as his, was a mess, since she had just woken up.

Anne sits up in bed with a sad, knowing look on her face as he turns the photograph in his hand, seeing the name written on the back of it.

_Julia._

He had written it himself, a few days after the picture was taken.

Jack lets out a shuddering breath, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, turning the photograph again to look at his baby sister.

Anne sighs, moving to sit on her knees beside him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"She had your eyes. And your hair."

He smiles briefly. "Yes. She did."

They stay like this for a few moments before he sighs.

"How I wish you could have met her. She would be around the same age as you today... If she was alive."

Anne takes the picture from his hands, getting up to return it to the drawer before sitting down on the bed again.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I don't know about that, darling."

"For God's sake. You were just a six year old boy. Your father was an idiot."

He shakes his head and she clenches her jaw, grabbing his face and making him look at her.

"Stop beating yourself up. I'm sure Julia wouldn't want that for you."

He sighs. "She wouldn't. You know... At least something good came out of this whole story."

She frowns. "What?"

"If I had never been sent to the orphanage, you and I probably would have never met. You probably would have stayed all alone."

A smile tugs at her lips.

"You're right. I would have had to deal with Charles on my own. That would've been hell."

He lets out a brief chuckle.

"Oh please. If I hadn't been around, the two of you would have already killed each other years ago."

She smirks. "Exactly."

The redhead leans in to kiss him, wordlessly laying back down and pulling him with her.

* * *

**_30 years ago_ **

_The 20 year old man runs up to the orphanage in the dark of the night, doing his best to shield the newborn baby boy in his arms from the cold, pouring rain._

_He reaches the covered doorstep, relieved to finally get the infant out of the rain._

_The man cautiously takes a look around, his black beard soaked from the rain._

_After making sure there was no one watching, he looks down at the bundled up baby in his arms, sighing when he sees the blue eyes staring up at him._

_"It's gonna be okay now. You'll be safe in here. They won't find you."_

_He crouches down in front of the door, sadness filling his eyes while he stares at the newborn._

_He catches sight of his birthmark, a faded line around his neck, and feels anger spread in his heart._

_"Whatever you do... If you find that fucking woman again, stay away from her this time. Please." He tells the infant, hesitating for a moment before dropping a kiss to the top of his head, his rough beard contrasting with the baby boy's soft, dark hair._

_"I'm sorry... I really am. But this is my only choice." He swallows hard, checking if the ground was clean before putting the baby on it, making sure the blanket was secured around his small body._

_The man pulls his necklace over his head, holding it in the air over the newborn, the anchor pendant swaying softly until tiny hands reach up to hold it and he lets out a brief laugh before releasing it, letting it drop to the baby's stomach._

_He pulls out a pen and a piece of paper, quickly writing the boy's name on it before leaving it on the ground beside the small bundle._

_"I love you, my boy." The man says in a barely audible whisper, his voice hesitant, before getting up with a heavy heart._

_Sighing, he takes one last look at the newborn, then turns around to walk away._

_"Good luck, Charles."_


	21. Confidence Man

The first thing Eleanor notices when she starts to wake up is the cold.

The blonde frowns, opening her eyes slowly.

This is odd.

Apparently, the temperature had dropped a lot during the night

_Strange._

She never cared much for cold weather, but Eleanor has to admit, it has its perks.

Especially when you're waking up under the blankets, in the arms of a handsome criminal.

She smiles while watching him. The peaceful look on his sleeping face makes him look younger. Less hardened.

Her smile falters as she remembers last night's events. They admitted their feelings. That wasn't good at all.

Now what? What was going to happen?

She's worried he will be unable to resist the temptation of going after Rogers now.

If Charles kills him, there will surely be consequences.

True, no one ever even came close to finding him, and she isn't naive, she knows he has killed people before.

But by now she's already familiar with the hypocrisy of the world.

One thing is to kill a "nobody", other criminals, "commoners", as Rogers and her father say.

But another thing is to kill a man who has status, wealth and a really nice position in the city.

Chaos would ensue.

She was sure of it. As much as he denies it, she just knows he will end up in jail if he makes a move against Rogers.

Eleanor doesn't want anything like that happening to her criminal. Not again. And especially, not because of her.

She really doesn't want to be his downfall once more.

Choosing to simply ignore these thoughts for now and just enjoy the nice moments life was offering her, Eleanor traces his jawline with her fingers, a smile tugging at her lips when he frowns slightly before opening those piercing blue eyes she's getting so addicted to.

"Morning." He says and her breath catches. If normally his voice already makes her shiver, the way it sounds after he just woke up is absolutely  _sinful_.

"Hmm... Morning. Is it just me, or do you feel like staying in bed all day too?"

He gives her a smirk before frowning, noticing the weirdly cold temperature.

"What the fuck is going on with this city?"

She chuckles. "No idea. But I'm not complaining. I have a pirate Captain to keep me warm."

"Luckily." He says before pulling away from her and getting up. Alarm fills her eyes for a moment, as she wonders if he's pushing her away again.

But then he gives he a soft smile over his shoulder, walking to the window.

Only then she notices it's open.

So that explains the cold.

She sees the sky is almost completely white, a few dark clouds scattered here and there. There's that strange, unique atmosphere that only extremely cold days have. As she looks outside, she's instantly reminded of Forks, the small town from the Twilight saga movies. She was dragged to the movie theater against her will once, and mercilessly forced to watch the sparkling vampires' love story with the young daughter of one of her father's friends. Abigail had been under her care that night, so she had no choice.

But as insufferable as she thought the movie was, Eleanor had been fascinated by the scenarios and the forests. The unique weather. And right now, as she looked outside, the blonde really felt like she was in the small town from the movies.

Well, except for the absence of the forest, of course. And the sparkling vampires.

She very much prefers her Captain, anyway.

Charles closes the window and the curtain, making the room darker before turning around to face her, looking like he was thinking about something.

"Do you know anything about self defense?" He asks and she frowns.

"Um, yeah. You taught me how to use the knife Mr. Scott gave me, remember?"

He shakes his head. "I'm not talking about the knife. I'm talking about when you don't have anything else to defend yourself with, only your hands and the rest of your body. Do you know how to do that?"

She shakes her head with a grimace. "Please tell me you're not gonna drag me out of bed to teach me right now"

A smirk tugs at his lips as he watches her.

"No. But I will teach you soon, so be prepared."

She rolls her eyes while he gets back in bed, pulling her to him.

"Did you really mean what you were saying last night? About you and I going somewhere for the weekend, just the two of us?"

He nods. "Yeah. We can already go this weekend, if you want."

At that, her eyes widen. "Oh shit. I was thinking today was Saturday, for some reason. But it's Thursday, right? Fuck, I'm supposed to take care of business-"

"What happened to staying in bed the whole day?"

She shakes her head, sitting up. "Where's my phone?" He sighs, pointing to the table near the couch and she gets up, cursing under her breath as the cold air hits her warm skin, causing her to shiver.

The blonde quickly heads to the table, turning her phone on while she makes her way back to the bed. Charles stares at her, the sight of her wearing nothing but his shirt making his eyes darken.

As she gets back in bed, she scoffs at the text she had received from her father.

_"Next time you decide not to come home in the middle of the week, at least let me know. I am leaving for London. Do not expect me back until Monday."_

He doesn't even ask if she's okay.

She rolls her eyes, letting the phone drop to the mattress.

"You know what? Fuck business." She says, getting under the covers and moving closer to him again. "If I'm needed, someone will call me."

"You sure?"

She nods into his chest, closing her eyes. "So, about our little trip. Where are we going?"

"We'll take the motorcycle and ride away from this city. There's this place I stumbled upon during one of my first times running away from the police. It's a small cabin, with a lake just beside it. For years, it was abandoned. So Jack, Anne and I restored it and turned it into a hideout."

She smiles. "That sounds nice. Is it secluded?"

He nods. "In the middle of the woods. But it's far. We'll need to stay on the road for around four hours."

"It's no problem. The further I get from this city, the better."

"Well then. Let me help you with that." He says with a smirk, fingers rubbing small circles on her lower back.

The happy glint that comes to her eyes fills his heart with warmth. In this moment, he knows she's got him wrapped around her finger. And it feels oddly familiar.

"We can go this weekend then. My father is out of the country, and business has been slow lately, so I can afford to leave someone in charge and get away for a couple days."

He nods. "Then we'll go. I'll tell Jack and Anne to go check the cabin for us today."

She chuckles, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. "Anne is so going to kill me sooner or later."

He smirks, but shakes his head.

"You're under my protection, Princess. She wouldn't dare to lay a finger on you."

Eleanor frowns, looking up at him. "I am?"

"Yes. You are."

She smiles, heart skipping a beat as she kisses his lips.

"As if I need that." The blonde whispers when she pulls away and Charles scoffs, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You can't defend yourself, so don't act like you can."

His words send a wave of déjà vu over her and she rolls her eyes.

"And that's why I'm gonna teach you self defense."

She smirks at him, moving to sit up in bed before straddling his hips. "Just wait. Soon enough, I'll be kicking your ass."

"Is that so?"

She hums in response, eyes widening in surprise when he suddenly grabs her hips and flips them over on the mattress with impressive ease, his body covering hers. She lets out a brief, happy laugh, and he smiles down at her.

"We'll see about that..." The criminal says in a low tone before kissing her neck, one hand moving under the shirt to feel her warm skin. She sighs in satisfaction, wrapping her legs around his hips, hands going to his hair to keep him from pulling away.

* * *

Madi sits down to eat her breakfast with a sigh.

She's so worried about Eleanor. The blonde left the spiritist house so suddenly last night. As she stares out the window of the restaurant, something catches her attention.

There was a man selling jewelry on the sidewalk.

She frowns, watching the curly black hair that reached to his shoulders.

He looks strangely familiar.

As she ate, she could faintly hear his voice, noticing how one of his legs moved in a weird way.

Soon enough, two young men came up to him, wanting to take a look at the jewelry.

"Is this real gold?" One of them asks, and he nods.

"It's all real, yes."

The other guy shakes his head. "No, I don't think I'll pay such a high price, they're probably fake."

Suddenly, a blonde woman appears, extending her hand. "Let me see."

He hands her a necklace and she examines it for a moment before nodding. "Yes, it's real. I've been working with jewelry for years, and this is real. They're actually worth more than this, you should really raise the prices. I'll take the necklace, please." She says, paying for it before walking away and the two men look at each other for a moment, quickly opening their wallets to buy some jewelry too.

Madi shakes her head with a smirk, having recognized this scene from one of her favorite TV shows.

That man had just played a con.

As he walks away, she gets up, remembering to buy the muffin her father loves to take it home for him before leaving the place.

* * *

"Thanks again, Charlotte." The curly haired man says, giving the blonde half the money as she laughs.

"That was so easy. I can't believe how stupid people are."

"It's not their fault if we're so brilliant." He says with a wink before pocketing his part of the money.

"See you around!" The man says, walking away from Charlotte.

* * *

Madi is lost in thought when she hears a cat meowing, quickly looking up to see it run into a small alley.

She frowns, deciding to follow it to see if the small creature needed any help.

Her heart skips a beat when she finds an old man sitting on the ground, his white hair a crazy mess, the cat running straight into his arms.

He looks up at her and she holds her breath when she sees that the blue eyes have a strange glint to them.

He seemed somewhat crazy.

But harmless, apparently.

And homeless.

She smiles, offering him the muffin she had bought a few minutes ago.

"Hi. You hungry?"

He eyes it for a moment before grabbing it and taking a bite.

Just then, the guy from earlier comes running from the other side of the alley.

"There you are! Look what I got-" He stops immediately when he sees Madi, looking down at the older man. "Who's your new friend, Randall?"

"Pretty girl." He says simply, continuing to eat the muffin.

The curly haired man chuckles.

"Yes, Don Juan, I can see that." He shakes his head before looking at her, the light blue of his eyes meeting the dark brown of hers. "But what's the pretty girl's name?"

She smiles, not breaking eye contact. "I'm Madi. What about you, con man?"

His smirk falls, eyes filling with alarm and she raises her eyebrows in triumph, really satisfied with herself, before letting out a brief chuckle. "Relax. I'm not the police or anything like that."

His eyes narrow in suspicion. "Well then, how exactly do you know-"

"I was having breakfast at the Andromache and saw you through the window. I recognized the con you were playing, from an episode of LOST."

He raises an eyebrow, seeming to be at a loss for words. "Well... You got me."

"So, are you really a con man, like Sawyer? Or are you just an amateur?"

He scoffs. "I can assure you, I am no amateur. Oh, and thank you."

She frowns. "For what?"

"For comparing me to Sawyer, of course! He's my big inspiration." He says with a charming smile and she rolls her eyes.

"Are you trying to distract me?"

"Is it working?"

She shakes her head with a smirk and he curses under his breath, but then Randall tugs on his jacket and he looks down at him. "What is it?"

The man points at Madi. "Not a cop."

"Well, if you say so..." He rolls his eyes, but Randall cuts him off again.

"We can trust."

He frowns, meeting her eyes again. "He seems to like you. That's rare. He's usually a rude, grumpy bundle of insolence. Aren't you, Randall?"

He ignores him, continuing to eat.

"You see?"

"Well, maybe it's just you who's too insufferable."

He raises his eyebrows. "Ouch."

For some reason, she's unable to stop smiling at this man. "And you still haven't told me your name, con man."

He grimaces. "Can I just say it's Sawyer?"

Madi rolls her eyes and he sighs in a defeated way, extending his hand.

"My name is John. Happy?"

She nods, and as soon as her hand touches his, a strange feeling comes over the both of them, déjà vu taking them by surprise.

The fog clears and Madi frowns as she sees John staring at her face with a weird look in his eyes, still holding her hand.

But he soon shakes his head, releasing her hand and clearing his throat as they look around the alley awkwardly.

Thankfully, this uncomfortable atmosphere is broken when Randall tugs at the sleeve of Madi's jacket and she looks down at him.

"Yes?"

He points at John. "He's a thief."

She laughs, looking up at the other man while he rolls his eyes.

"Thank you very much; you're ruining my chances here." He tells Randall, and she raises her eyebrows.

"And who says you had any chances, to begin with?"

"Ouch again." He says with a scowl, and she glances down at his legs, frowning slightly when she sees how he moves one of them. It seems... Different.

"You have a prosthetic leg... Don't you?" She asks without really thinking, looking back up before slapping a hand to her forehead. "That was rude of me, right? Sorry!"

He chuckles. "Don't worry about that, gorgeous. You didn't offend me. I was born without one of my legs. Well, not the entire leg, but yeah, below this knee..." he says, gesturing to his left knee. "...you know."

She nods. "Is it hard to walk with it?"

"Nah. I'm used to it by now."

Randall lifts the old blanket that had been covering his legs, and Madi is surprised when she sees he has a below-knee prosthesis too.

"Oh. What happened?"

John sighs. "Same story as me. I found Randall a few years ago, struggling to survive in the streets. He was alone in the world, and since he was a cripple like me, I guess I felt empathy. So I started saving some of the money I got from the cons, and bought him the prosthesis. At first he didn't like it at all, but as I started teaching him how to walk with it, he eventually accepted it. From that day on, I help him."

Her heart fills with warmth. Who would have known a con man had such a soft, selfless side.

"And well, he helps me too." John continues with a smirk. "With the cons. He likes to live in the streets, and because of that, he sees a lot of people. He knows what kinds of people visit each part of the city, knows what cons are most likely to work, and where. No one pays him any attention...so he sees everything." He finishes, smiling down at Randall while the other man merely watches him, petting the cat on his lap.

Madi chuckles. "Seems like you two have a nice partnership then."

John nods and her phone beeps. She pulls it out, seeing it was a message from her father. He was worried, since she was taking so long to get home.

"My father's worried about me. I should go. It was nice meeting you, Randall!" She smiles down at him and John clears his throat. She rolls her eyes at him. "Okay, okay. It was nice meeting you, too." Madi says, turning to walk away but John calls her name and she stops, looking back at him over her shoulder.

"Is there, um... Any chance I can see you again?" He asks with a hesitant voice and she thinks for a moment before giving him a smile.

"I volunteer at the animal shelter every Thursday. Feel free to go visit me, Sawyer." She says with a wink before heading out of the alley, unable to stop smiling, her heart beating fast.

Though she has no idea why.

* * *

Later that day, Jack reads the text he had just received from their leader with a grimace, running a hand through his hair.

Anne isn't going to like this.

"What is it?" The redhead asks, emerging from their room and he sighs.

"How do you feel about making a trip to the cabin in the woods, darling?"

She scoffs, slumping down on the couch. "The one that's almost four hours away? I'll pass."

"Well that's too bad. Charles wants us to go check it, and before the weekend."

She frowns. "Why?"

When he just hesitates, she clenches her jaw, quickly getting up and storming over to him, tearing the phone away from his hand to read what their leader had sent him.

_"Check the cabin. We'll go there this weekend."_

She shakes her head, looking up at her partner.

"Now he's planning romantic getaways with that bitch? What the fuck's wrong with him?"

Jack sighs heavily. "Come on, let's just get this over with already, okay? I'll get some food, you go on to see if the car's alright for the drive."

She growls, storming out the front door.

As it turned out, they had to stop by the gas station of the neighborhood before leaving the city, and the redhead went to the convenience store, having decided she needed a beer.

As she was paying for it, a hand touched her shoulder and she spun around quickly with a menacing look in her eyes, hand going to the knife strapped to her waist beneath her jacket.

Only to see it was Max.

The other woman smiles at her. "We need to stop meeting like this."

She turns around to get her beer, rolling her eyes.

"We need to stop meeting." The redhead says gruffly and Max frowns.

"And why is that?"

"Because I can't fucking stand you!" She snaps, turning around to face her again.

"Oh, I see. Is that why you almost kissed me, back at the Demeter?"

Her eyes widen and she clenches her jaw. "Keep your voice down!"

"Why, is that boyfriend of yours around?"

Anne opens her mouth to speak but Jack's voice cuts her off as he enters the convenience store.

"Darling, what's taking you so long?" He stops in his tracks, catching sight of Max and nodding at her in greeting, causing Anne to roll her eyes.

"Come on." The little brute says, walking past him and grabbing a hold of his shoulder, dragging him out of the store with her.

"Oh, so now you're eager to go?"

"Yes! Now shut up and let's get this over with." She says gruffly, getting into the driver's seat, barely giving him time to get into the passenger seat and close the car's door before she speeds off abruptly.

Jack curses loudly while Max watches them from the convenience store, shaking her head with a sigh.

* * *

The bright smile she greets him with as he steps inside her room is enough to make Charles' heart feel warmer, although she's quick to hide her reaction to his arrival.

Eleanor walks over to him with a more neutral expression, the moonlight illuminating her perfect face when she gets close to the balcony's glass door.

He lets her kiss him for a moment, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms again.

Even though it had been just a few short hours since the last time he held her.

They only left the hideout at around 4 in the afternoon, when someone called to tell Eleanor she was needed, something concerning the Trading Company.

So when she left to go back to the mansion, he went back to the main hideout, satisfied to see that his accomplices had already left to go check the cabin.

Then he waited for a few hours, got some rest, a shower, and had something to eat before eagerly leaving for the mansion.

Now here he was again, reveling in the soft moan that escapes her while he nips at her lower lip, her nails pressing into the skin of his shoulder beneath the shirt and leather jacket.

When she tries to pull him back towards her bed, he almost gives in.

Almost.

Breaking their kiss, he smirks briefly at her groan of frustration.

"What is it?"

"Did you forget what I said back at the hideout? 'Self defense' rings any bells?"

She rolls her eyes with a sigh, watching as he lets go of her to close the thick curtains of the glass door

Eleanor smirks, an idea forming in her brain while she takes a few steps back towards her bed

"So, how will this work... Captain?"

He clenches his jaw, taking a deep breath and for a moment she thinks he won't resist her, that her little plan worked and that in a matter of seconds they will be in bed

But then he turns and walks to her with a smirk, reaching to caress her chin.

"Nice try." He says and she rolls his eyes before he continues to speak.

"And answering your question, I will show you what to do, and then you'll try doing it with me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I don't want anything bad happening to you, Eleanor. So I want to teach you how to defend yourself when I'm not around to do it." He says as he moves closer to her.

"First off; Always pay attention to your surroundings. When you're alone, check for any possible danger so you can be on alert mode. And this is important: Keep calm. If someone tries anything with you, don't panic, or you're fucked. No matter how big the man is, remember what i'm telling you. We're all human. We all have weak spots. Aim for them. The nose. Punch it. The throat. Crotch, especially. And the eyes." He says, reaching for one of her hands and pressing her nails to the skin just below his sea blue eyes. "Make the bastard blind. Use those sharp nails of yours for something else other than leaving scratches all over my back."

She smirks. "You love it."

_I love **you.**_

He pushes the sudden, frightening thought away, focusing on the task at hand.

"Also, always use your elbows, knees, and head to hit the attacker. It will cause more damage."

"But wait, what if the he just throws me over his shoulder, I won't be able to hit the weak spots you mentioned, there won't be anything I'll be able to do."

Much to her surprise, Charles reaches for her and does just that, throwing her over his shoulder in a second, ignoring her protests.

"There's plenty you can do." His deep voice says, and he lifts one of her legs, only to pull it back into his stomach. "You can straighten your leg out, use it to hit him in the chest or the stomach, you could hit your knee to his groin." He pulls her arm around his neck. "You can choke him. Press your fingers to his throat as hard as you can." He moves her hand to his eyes. "You could scratch his eyes; push your fingers into them."

As abruptly as he had thrown her over his shoulder, he sets her back on her feet. "All the while, you keep screaming and yelling for help. To draw attention, but also to intimidate your attacker."

She nods and he shrugs off his leather jacket, throwing it to the bed, the muscles moving beneath the skin of his arms drawing her attention immediately.

She shakes her head lightly, determined to stay focused.

He moves closer. "Grab my wrist. Let me demonstrate something." She obeys and he continues. "Now, if the attacker grabs you like this, here's what you gotta do. Take a step back and gain stability, relax your wrist as much as you can, and rotate your wrist towards the attacker's thumb, this will loosen his grip. Then simply retract your hand and run." He instructs, all the while demonstrating, easily pulling his wrist free from her grasp, before moving to grab hers. "Now try."

Her first three attempts fail, and just as she was beginning to grow frustrated, she suddenly succeeds, gasping in surprise and looking up at him, unable to contain her bright smile. "I did it."

His heart fills with warmth. "You did. Now let me show you what to do if the attacker uses both his hands. Grab my wrist again. But with two hands this time." She does and he pulls his arm back, successfully bringing her closer to him, their lips inches apart. A smirk tugs at his lips before he kisses her briefly, making heat travel through her body before pulling away as if nothing had happened and taking a step back.

"Same idea as the other one. Step back, stability, relax your wrist. Weave your free arm through the bastard's wrists in an over/under formation, to stop his movement. Then just like i taught you before, rotate your captured wrist toward the attacker's thumb. After that, use some strength and pull both your hands away from him. Try it."

This time, it takes more than three attempts, and he needs to demonstrate the move twice more, but she eventually succeeds, a joyful sound leaving her lips.

They practice the two moves he just taught her a few more times, and she's happy to see she's getting the hang of it, not failing to notice the pride that flickers in Charles eyes.

"You're doing good. Practice is everything. From now on, every night I come here, we will practice."

She doesn't try to argue. This is actually fun. And it will help her defend herself.

Besides, how can she possibly complain when the lessons make her stay so close to Charles? This is not bad at all. She likes this more than when he taught her to use the knife.

"Now, one more thing, and then we can stop for tonight and go to bed."

Before she can ask what he was going to teach next, the criminal moves behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his body.

Goosebumps raise on her skin when he bites her earlobe teasingly and she tries turning around to kiss him.

But he doesn't let her move, chuckling briefly.

_Bastard._

"If someone grabs you from behind like this..." He begins, acting as if nothing had happened, again. "Your first instinct may be to stomp on his foot, but it won't be too effective. You need to move your hip to the side, and if you do it abruptly and hard enough, it will throw the attacker off balance, then you hit his crotch with your fist as hard as you can."

Eleanor nods, starting to try doing as he instructed but then his lips come to her neck, the criminal kissing her skin before biting softly, immediately distracting her.

"What do you do, Princess?"

His breath is hot on her neck, fingers caressing the bit of exposed skin between the camisole and the pajama shorts.

Once again, it surprises her to see how much she can make his resolve falter. How he's unable to resist her. It amazes her to see how much control she has over this man, this hardened, highly feared criminal.

This awakens a part of her that she didn't even know existed. It makes her feel stronger.

And she loves it.

His hand reaches lower, lower, until his fingers are brushing over the spot where she needs him the most. And the bastard knows, as he presses his fingertips against it, causing her to gasp sharply.

Even though her brain is foggy with desire, even though her legs feel like jelly, after a few failed attempts she somehow manages to make the move, noticing how his balance falters for a second. But of course, instead of hitting him, she turns around, seeing pride flickering in his eyes again.

"Well done, Miss Guthrie." The low voice sends shivers down her spine and she raises her eyebrows at him. "Maybe you should have a reward for your hard work now, Captain."

He picks her up with a brief growl, her legs going around his hips while he carries her back to the bed.

Eleanor can definitely get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't judge me. I love LOST, so I just couldn't help myself ;)
> 
> Okay! So, the next chapter will be mainly about their weekend together, sorry if anyone finds it boring, but I wanted to give them this peaceful time before hell breaks loose. After chapter 22, things will start to get rough. There are hard times coming for our babies, so enjoy this loving atmosphere between them while you can! There's bumpy seas ahead.


	22. Their Paradise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be just a quick, short chapter. I swear.
> 
> But things got *a little bit* out of hand, and in the end, this became the biggest chapter thus far. Sorry guys! This thing just kept writing itself, it's not my fault! I seriously have no idea what happened lol.
> 
> Just to let everyone know: Caroline Guthrie is not my character. I always had trouble settling on a name for Eleanor's mother but then the amazing Roza-Maria helped me with that. She uses this name in her work, and she kindly lent it to me ;) Thank you again, my friend!
> 
> Let me warn you all that this chapter contains absurd levels of fluff. This was my way to give myself some comfort before I inevitably had to write all the angst and drama that is to come.
> 
> This little getaway of theirs is the calm before the storm. So brace yourselves and enjoy this, because things are about to get ugly!

_**Orphanage** _

_**23 years ago** _

_A 7 year old Charles sat by one of the windows, staring glumly at the storm raging outside._

_He hated this kind of weather._

_It meant he had to be trapped inside with all the stupid kids._

_He wishes he was outside, alone at his tree. No one dared to go near it, not even the older kids. He had built quite the reputation for himself. Even as young as he was, everyone already knew they shouldn't mess with him. So people rarely even came near him._

_But he likes it better this way._

_He still has no idea why he became friends with Jack, the boy who arrived a year ago._

_Speaking of him..._

_Charles glares accusingly at his only friend as the boy plays with the other kids, all of them entranced by the woman who was visiting the orphanage._

_He meets his eyes and shrugs with an apologetic look in his face before turning back to the idiotic children._

_Traitor._

_Charles scoffs, shaking his head while turning his attention back to the storm outside, fingers reaching to grasp at the anchor pendant, trying hard to ignore all the noise and commotion behind him._

_There was a celebration going on today at the orphanage._

_Apparently, some rich couple had donated a lot of money to them, and although the husband was nowhere to be seen, his wife was visiting them, playing with the orphans, giving them the affection and attention they all wanted so desperately, even if it was just for one day._

_Charles had to admit, it was a nice gesture of her. But he had no interest in it._

_Why pretend you have a mother for one day, if tomorrow she would be gone?_

_No. If there's one thing he hates, it's false hope._

_He had hoped for years that his parents would come back and find him, take him home. Since they left a necklace with him, he thought that meant they loved him, and he wore it as a symbol of hope. But as he got older, one day he simply realized this was probably just a sadistic way to remind him of the family he would never have._

_From that day on, he wore the anchor necklace as a reminder not to trust anyone, and to never feel that hateful, stupid thing called hope._

_His moment alone was interrupted as footsteps sounded behind him, a gentle voice reaching his ears._

_"Why are you alone in here, sweetie? Don't you want to come play with me and the other kids?"_

_He clenches his jaw, ignoring the woman as one of the staff members chuckles and speaks from a distance. "Don't waste your time with that one, Mrs. Guthrie. Charles doesn't like people."_

_Yes. Go away._

_But the woman behind him simply scoffs, moving closer._

_"Nonsense. I came here to give attention to all of the kids, and I refuse to leave before I'm done."_

_"Suit yourself."_

_The annoying woman slowly walks around the wooden bench he was sitting on and he tries to ignore her, but when she refuses to leave, standing there in silence, the boy eventually growls, looking over at her._

_And for some reason, his heart skips a beat._

_She was a tall, blonde woman, her wavy hair cascading down her shoulders, blue-green eyes staring down at him, filled with kindness, a gentle smile on her lips._

_Her clothes and jewelry were obviously really expensive, but that's not what caught his attention._

_No. It was her swollen stomach._

_The woman sits down beside him, extending her hand._

_"Hello, Charles. My name is Caroline."_

_He simply stares at her hand for a moment before turning his attention back to the window, causing her to chuckle softly._

_"So, how old are you?"_

_He rolls his eyes. "Look, Mrs. Guthrie, I don't really like people, so don't even bother. Just go back to the other kids."_

_"Oh, I already spent plenty of time with them, but I've been watching you the whole day. I wanted to give you some attention too, and since you wouldn't go to me, I decided to come to you."_

_"You're wasting your time."_

_She opens her mouth to reply, but a small gasp escapes her lips instead, causing Charles to look at her as one of her hands moves to her stomach._

_"She kicked." Caroline explains with a loving smile, and the boy looks down at her swollen belly, unable to contain the curious glint in his eyes._

_He had never seen a pregnant woman before, only in the TV._

_It's different in real life._

_She notices the boy staring down at her stomach and smiles softly, happy that she finally found a way to capture his attention._

_"My due date is in three weeks. It's a little girl"_

_He nods, not averting his eyes_

_Suddenly, he's taken aback when part of Caroline's pregnant belly moves, as if the baby girl inside was reaching towards him._

_Charles frowns, moving away, and the woman laughs._

_"Look at that. I guess she likes you."_

_He just keeps scowling, staring at her stomach as if it was a monster that would eat him alive if he wasn't careful._

_Caroline laughs again. "Don't worry, sweetie. This is normal." She moves closer to him. "Here. She's kicking again. Do you want to feel?"_

_He begins to shake his head, but then curiosity wins and he hesitantly moves one hand to her stomach, taking a deep breath when he touches it._

_It feels warm. And hard._

_He had never felt anything like it before._

_There's a kick from the inside, right where his hand was, catching him by surprise._

_"Oh, she got you!" Caroline says with a chuckle and he can't fight the smirk that tugs at his lips._

_"She must be crazy. No other kid would dare to do anything like that with me."_

_"My daughter isn't afraid of anyone. She's not born yet, but I just know it already."_

_Charles smiles, a strange feeling coming over him as he continues to stare down at the woman's stomach, his hand still resting on it, feeling the baby moving and kicking from the inside._

_"What are you going to name her?"_

_She smiles down at him. "Eleanor."_

_He's silent for a moment, unable to understand the confusion in his brain._

_"Eleanor… I like that name." The boy finally says. And he means it. He had never thought about that name before but for some reason, now that he heard it, it just sounds like the most beautiful name in the whole world._

_He wants to say it again and again._

_When night falls and the storm passes, Caroline checks the time with a sorrowful look on her face, seeing it was time to leave. She said goodbye and hugged each one of the kids while Charles watched from afar._

_He thought she was just going to leave, but she came over to him again and bent down to kiss the top of his head._

_"It was nice meeting you, Charles. I'll come back to see you all again after my pregnancy is over, and I will bring Eleanor to play with you. So she can kick you without any obstacles between the two of you!" She had said with a playful tone and a warm smile on her lips before leaving._

_Somehow, that woman managed to leave a joyful atmosphere in the orphanage for once. She gave the kids hope. And they all waited eagerly for her next visits. Charles had to admit; even he was looking forward to see her again_

_But she didn't come back_

_Because three weeks later, Charles woke up in the morning to find most of the kids crying._

_The news had just arrived. The kind woman who had spent a day playing with them, had died during childbirth last night._

_And as the months passed, eventually becoming years, both Charles and Jack ended up forgetting all about the gentle Caroline Guthrie._

_And the baby girl she had been carrying._

* * *

**Present days**

"Are you sure this is wise, Eleanor?" Max asks with a worried look on her face and Idelle rolls her eyes at her while the blonde locks her car in front of their house before heading over to meet them at the doorstep.

"He won't do anything to hurt me. I just know. And here I thought you were beginning to trust him"

"One thing is the two of you seeing each other here, in the city, in your room. But he's taking you to a place we don't know, far away from here. What if-"

"Oh, just stop already!" Idelle interrupts her with a shake of her head. "Trust me, if Charles really wanted to do anything to her, he wouldn't have waited for so long. And besides, it's painfully obvious that she found a way inside his heart, though I have no idea how. He won't hurt her." She says before reaching to give Eleanor's shoulder a playful push. "You little witch, you stole my favorite client! Now you better enjoy him as much as you possibly can!"

The blonde lets out a brief laugh and Max shakes her head at them, just as the criminal stops his motorcycle in front of the house.

He pulls out Anne's helmet and holds it towards the three women, not taking off his own.

Idelle gets the message, walking over to grab the helmet before making her way back to her friends and handing it to Eleanor.

"Go inside before putting it on. We can't risk anyone recognizing you and talking about how they saw Eleanor Guthrie leaving with a man on his motorcycle."

She nods, going inside and putting the helmet on.

When she goes back outside, Max sighs and pulls her into a hug. "You be careful, alright? Please."

The blonde nods, moving away from Max to accept Idelle's brief hug and rolling her eyes at the conspiring wink she gives her before making her way to the motorcycle. A slight feeling of anxiety spreads in her chest.

"Um... Are you sure this is a good idea? What if-"

"Eleanor." He cuts her off. "You deserve some freedom. Let me give it to you. Now hop on, or I will tie you down."

A smirk tugs at her lips as she obeys, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Keep her safe! If anything happens to her, I will send Rogers right to your door!"

Max threatens and he lets out a brief chuckle, nodding at her before speeding off.

Idelle makes a "tsk" sound, shaking her head.

"A whole weekend alone with that piece of paradise named Charles... Damn, I'm so jealous of her." She says with a dreamy look on her face, causing Max to roll her eyes and go back inside.

* * *

Eleanor is tense as they ride through the city, unable to stop looking around every time they stop at a red light.

Expecting to see Rogers at any time.

Charles notices this, bringing one hand to squeeze hers in a reassuring way before speeding off again. It does little to calm her nerves.

She feels like a teenager, afraid of being caught with her first boyfriend.

Except that consequences would be a lot worse in this case.

Her heart is beating wildly in her chest and she takes a deep breath, praying they will get to the road soon.

The blonde closes her eyes, leaning her head against Charles' shoulder, deciding it was better not to see anything.

It does not escape her mind that this is a huge proof of just how much she trusts him, keeping her eyes closed while he speeds up through the streets.

There's no way to deny that she's trusting him to keep them safe.

It should make her uncomfortable, but right now she doesn't care. Lately, she just feels like there's something bad coming. Something that will threaten her and Charles'... relationship?

So she wants to enjoy this weekend to the fullest. She made this decision. The cabin in the woods will be like another world. A world where her problems are non-existent. It will be just her and her criminal. She will leave the depression, the self hatred, the problems with her father and Rogers behind in LA.

She deserves a break.

After what feels like an eternity, Eleanor slowly opens her eyes again, seeing they are finally on the road.

Looking over her shoulder, she can't help the brief laugh that escapes her when she sees the city being left behind, as they get further and further from it.

She's never felt anything like this before. For once in her life, it feels as if she's exactly where she's supposed to be. It feels... right.

_It feels like freedom._

She's free. From everything.

Even if it's just for one weekend, she's finally free like she always wanted to be.

She tightens her arms around Charles' waist, a smile refusing to leave her lips.

In this moment, there's nothing she can do to express just how grateful she is.

She'll never be able to thank him for giving her this.

So what if Rogers could give her huge mansions, a yacht, expensive clothes and jewelry? All that shit is nothing, absolutely nothing compared to _this._

It calls out to something primitive deep inside her. Something that had been asleep until she found Charles. Until he found her.

She feels like a completely different person than the one she was just a few months ago.

Somehow, he returned a piece of herself she didn't even know she had.

Right now, it feels as if their souls are connected, this longing for freedom and adventure bringing them closer and closer.

_"Screw civilization. Screw this stupid society."_  She thinks, not really sure where this is even coming from.  _"Right now, it's us. Just us."_

_**War against the world.** _

The first three hours pass in a blur. There's just so much to see, a whole new world he's showing her, and her eyes take it all in greedily.

As cheesy as this may sound, she feels like princess Jasmine while Aladdin shows her the world as they fly on the magic carpet.

They are far, far away from the big city by now, nature surrounding them. She's finally able to relax further, now that it's just them on the road.

Whenever there's a particularly nice view, she squeezes his shoulder and he simply understands, slowing down so she can appreciate it better.

But as nice as this is, four hours is a long time.

And Eleanor is starting to grow restless.

Her natural curiosity is winning, as always. She just wants to see the cabin. The lake.

She wants to know what the place where she'll spend the best weekend of her life looks like.

Just as she's about to give up and try to ask Charles how much further they still have to go, he turns abruptly, going into a narrow dirt road, so hidden she didn't even see it until they were already on it.

Trees surrounded both sides of the road, and it made her anxious. She couldn't even see the sky. Although it was still early in the afternoon, the trees made this road dark.

Again, she closes her eyes, clinging tightly to Charles and hoping they won't have to endure this bumpy, strange road for too long.

He must have known somehow that her eyes were closed, because a while later he squeezes her hand and she opens her eyes just in time to see the narrow road coming to an end, the claustrophobic feeling dissipating like smoke in the air while she watched the newly revealed place in awe.

The lake catches her eyes first. There's even a small waterfall, the clear water making her breath catch. There's some sort of pier too, and not far from it, she sees the cabin.

It's smaller than she imagined, but in good state.

Charles stops the motorcycle right in front of it and they get off it, eagerly taking off the helmets.

She groans in satisfaction when the cool air hits the skin of her face, watching as Charles eyes the cabin for a moment, a strange look flickering in his eyes.

Wait, is he...

Is he nervous?

_Impossible._

She frowns for a second, noticing how he takes a deep breath before gesturing for her to follow him inside the cabin.

She obeys, eager to see how it looked like.

There's a fireplace, nothing too fancy, of course. It's simple but it looks in good shape. An old couch was placed in front of it.

Near the front door, there's another, to what she assumed was the bathroom. Other than this, the rest of the cabin was just one space, a small kitchen area near the fireplace, with two counters and a table while on the other side, she could see a double bed, one of the sides touching the wall. There was a lounge chair next to it too.

It's nothing like what she's used to.

And she loves it.

Charles clears his throat behind her as she takes the place in.

"It's not much. I know you're used to huge mansions and all that, but..."

Realization dawns on her as she turns around to face him.

So that's why he was nervous?

Offering him a soft smile, the blonde makes her way over to him before kissing his lips.

"It's perfect. I like it."

He watches her for a moment before nodding.

"Who the hell would want to abandon this place?" She asks with a frown.

"When I found the cabin, there was an old piece of paper on the floor. The name 'Edward' was written on it. That's all I know." He says, letting go of her and moving to the lounge chair. "Last time I was here, I moved this thing to the pier. It's nice to lay there at night. Have you ever seen the night sky away from the urban area?"

She shakes her head.

"It's completely different. You see, we are far away from civilization, from pollution, so the stars are more visible. Just wait until nightfall. It will take your breath away." He says, lifting the lounge chair before carrying it out the front door.

A soft smile plays on her lips as she suddenly realizes that yes, this will be the best weekend of her life.

Well, thus far anyway.

Even if she still feels slightly nervous to be alone in here with Charles.

But it's a good feeling, the butterflies in her stomach.

She's completely sure he won't do anything to hurt her, but this feels just so intimate…

Realizing she was already starting to over-think again, Eleanor shakes her head, heading outside to start enjoying her day.

* * *

 

If a few months ago someone told Eleanor that tonight she would be in front of a cabin in the middle of the woods, four hours away from home, playing "I never" with a criminal who broke into her father's mansion, she would have told the person to seek a psychiatric.

And yet here she was now, in front of the fire Charles had built, having the time of her life, a bottle of rum in her hands and her cheeks hurting from laughing so much.

It was around 8 p.m., and they had been drinking for the past couple hours.

"I can't believe you convinced me to do this." He says with a shake of his head. "I never... kissed a woman."

She rolls her eyes at him, taking a drink from the bottle before handing it to him so he could drink too.

"Your turn, Princess."

"I never... got into a fight."

He takes a drink, frowning when she holds out her hand, asking for the bottle.

"Seriously? Now you gotta tell me that story in details."

She scoffs, taking the bottle from his hands and drinking.

"It was during my freshman year. There was this fucking annoying girl, she had been teasing me since the first day of school, so one day I just snapped and punched the bitch in the face." She says and he chuckles. "My father was pissed. I was grounded for months."

"I would have liked to see that."

She rolls her eyes. "Your turn, Captain."

"I never wanted to kill Woodes Rogers."

She hums in approval, taking not only one, but three big gulps of the rum, much to his amusement, before handing the bottle to him so he could drink too.

"I never had sex with a criminal." She says. And again, they both drink.

Jealousy sparks in her chest.

And of course, the bastard notices, a smug smirk coming to his lips.

"Who was she?" Eleanor asks before she can even think about stopping herself, and he sighs.

"Her name was Mary. She was the closest thing I ever had to a serious relationship."

"Did you love her?"

He shakes his head. "Honestly, I was with her because she was a lot like me. And for the sex. We had fun. But it was nothing more than that. So when I woke up one day and saw she was gone, I didn't give a shit. It was normal. But this time she never came back. She simply disappeared. I have no idea what happened to her, and I don't care."

She nods, but then the thought that plagues her sometimes comes to her mind again.

She's not naive. She knows Charles was with a lot of women.

And obviously, he has a lot of experience. She knows that very,  _very_  well. It's evident, every time they sleep together. He never hesitates, he's always sure of everything he does, he never seems insecure.

But she doesn't have too much experience with men. She once told him that, in the darkness of her room, as they laid in her bed trying to catch their breath. She had been tipsy that night, and in the morning, she regretted it deeply. It was a weakness, an insecurity, and she had shown it to him.

However, it was always painfully obvious how less experienced she is with the opposite gender than him.

She always hesitates for a moment whenever he tries something new with her.

And even though he never seemed to care about that, it bothers her.

She hates the thought that he's been with women better than her in the bed department.

"How about we play another game?" His deep voice brings her back from her thoughts and she looks up at him.

"Hmm?"

"Truth or dare. But in this case, only dare or dare."

Eleanor sees the challenge in his eyes, and smirks.

"Okay. You start."

"I dare you to come over here and kiss me." He says immediately without breaking eye contact, the orange glow of the fire between them illuminating his face.

She quickly complies, raising from her spot and closing the distance between them, careful not to let the blanket drop from her shoulders.

Straddling his lap, the blonde kisses him while he wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

When they part for air, he brings one hand up to caress her chin.

"Don't ever feel insecure about that again. You are amazing. Why do you think I stayed?" He jokes and she lets out a brief laugh, hitting his chest before moving to lay down on his lap, keeping the upper half of her body on it and the lower half on the ground.

Keeping the blanket secured around her body, she traces the muscles of his abdomen through his shirt with her fingers while he watches her closely.

"I have another dare." He says suddenly and she looks up at him to find him staring at the lake.

_Oh no._

"Do you want me to get sick? It's freezing out here!"

"The water of that lake is always warm. Trust me. I dare you to take your clothes off and go for a swim."

She narrows her eyes at him.

"Unless you want to back down, Princess. You're probably used to fancy swimming pools anyway-"

She scoffs, getting up abruptly and letting the blanket drop to the floor before heading over to the pier. He grabs the blanket and follows her with a smirk.

Eleanor stops at the edge of the pier, looking down at the water while swallowing nervously. She never did anything like this before.

It's dark, and she can barely see the water. There's no way to tell what's lurking in the lake, and every rational thought is telling her to swallow her pride and back down, just this time.

But as she looks back over her shoulder and sees Charles approaching her with that smug half smirk of his, she rolls her eyes, starting to undress and cursing when the cold air hits her skin.

"It will be better once you're in the water." He says, and she's completely sure that he's just messing with her, that it will be even worse in the surely cold water.

But when she jumps into the lake after hesitating for a moment, she's surprised. The water is actually warm.

She frowns, looking up at him and seeing him starting to shed his clothes too.

"Told you." The criminal says, and then he's in the water with her.

She immediately swims up to him, trying to ignore the relief and how she feels so much better and safe now that he's in the lake too.

As soon as she's close enough, Charles reaches for her and pulls her to him, their lips meeting in a brief kiss.

He guides them closer to the waterfall. It's deeper now, their feet not reaching the bottom of the lake anymore.

Eleanor looks down, unable to see more than a few inches of her upper body under the water, unable to see what laid beneath them in the lake.

She likes this. The thrill, how reckless this feels.

The danger. Even if it's only in her head.

They swim around the lake as the minutes drag by, always coming back to each other, unable to keep their distance for too long.

He challenges her to dive, and even though it scares her, she does, eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of being completely surrounded by the warm water. A moment later, something grabs her waist and she almost panics, only to recognize Charles' hands, his grip, as he pulled her to him and kissed her underwater.

Now that's another thing she had never done before.

They come back to the surface slowly, his arms tightening around her waist.

When she notices it, her feet are already touching the bottom of the lake again and she realizes he had brought them back to the pier.

Pulling away from him, she traces the birthmark around his neck with her fingers. The faded line is barely visible, the moonlight providing just enough illumination for her to be able to see it.

Looking up, she sees the criminal watching her closely, eyes dark with desire.

This look never fails to send a shiver down her spine.

They watch each other for a moment, both able to see the happiness in the other's eyes.

Any reluctance she had felt about this little weekend getaway earlier seemed stupid now.

_She's exactly where she's supposed to be._

Slowly, the blonde lets her hand move lower, leaving his birthmark and trailing down his chest to his abdomen, quickly disappearing under the dark water.

This is new for her. But judging by the way he closes his eyes with a sharp gasp when she wraps her exploring hand around him, she's not doing so bad.

His reaction to her touch encourages her, a smirk playing on her lips while she starts to move her hand, the criminal opening his eyes with a groan and leaning forward to capture her earlobe between his teeth.

In this moment, it feels as if it's just the two of them in the world.

He seems to be impatient, suddenly pulling away from her, only to reach for the small ladder that connected the pier to the lake while pulling her with him.

Soon, they are up on the pier again, and Charles guides her to the lounge chair from earlier.

Her breath hitches when she sees what his intentions are, looking around the place.

"We can't do this out here, if someone-"

"We can, and we  _will._ " He says in a final tone, sitting down and starting to pull her into his lap. "No one comes to this place.  _Now come here._ "

She's not sure if he pulled her, if she moved to straddle his lap on her own, or both. All she knows is that he's inside her, out here in the pier, in the middle of the woods, four hours away from home.

And it feels amazing.

They should probably be cold, since they are still wet from the lake, and it's freezing out here. But the familiar fire consuming them keeps them warm for now as they move together as one, in that wonderful, perfectly synchronized rhythm they never fail to find, as if they spent years practicing.

The full moon illuminates their bodies as the minutes pass, neither willing to back down and break eye contact, her nails digging into the skin of his shoulders while his strong hands gripped her hips, pulling her down, allowing him to slide even deeper inside her.

She gasps in pleasure and surprise, rolling her eyes at his smug smirk, moving one hand to leave scratches on his bicep, the sharp nails leaving angry red marks in their wake.

That does it.

With a growl, he quickly moves them so they're laying down on the lounge chair, his body covering hers.

She wants to protest, but any words she might have said die in her throat as he continues to thrust inside her at a mad pace, her legs immediately wrapping around his hips, urging him even deeper.

One of his hands moves to grip her thigh, keeping it in place, and she swears she feels his thumb gently trace one of her biggest scars, brushing over it softly. Almost lovingly.

How does he manage to be so brutal and so gentle with her at the same time?

She has no idea. All she knows is that she loves it.

And that she's determined to last longer than him for once.

So she concentrates on that, doing her best to hold back, reveling on the way his eyes darken when he realizes what she's trying to do.

For a moment, it looks like he will try to frustrate her plans, but it's just too late.

He comes with a groan of her name, tightening his grip on her thigh, and this causes her to follow him a second later, her nails digging into the skin of his back.

She smirks at him when he pulls away to meet her eyes, really satisfied with herself.

"You'll pay for that. Just wait." His deep voice says and she chuckles, only now noticing the cold.

Eleanor wraps her arms around herself and he sits on the edge of the lounge chair, looking around for the discarded blanket.

Once he finds it, he reaches for it and looks down at the shivering blonde.

Charles gestures for her to sit up and she obeys, watching as he lays down on his side, keeping one arm stretched and a smile plays on her lips while she lays back down, using his arm as a pillow.

Once the blanket is covering their bodies, Charles uses his free arm to pull her closer, caressing her naked back.

"Look." He says after a few minutes of silence, nodding at the sky.

She does. And the sight makes her breath catch.

He was right earlier.

It looks like a completely different sky than the one she's used to. The stars are so bright, so visible.

"Fuck... Are you sure we're still on Planet Earth?"

He chuckles, fingers running up and down her spine slowly.

And for the 100th time tonight, he surprises her.

As it turned out, the criminal had a vast knowledge about the stars.

She listened in silence, staring at the sky while he showed her the stars, pointing and saying their names, telling the stories about where the names came from.

He showed her a big, bright one, telling her about how that was the star he chose as "his", one night long ago.

"After watching another child be adopted, I sneaked out during the night to sit at my tree. I remember choosing that one as my guiding star. It offered me some sort of comfort. By then, I knew I'd never have a family. I was too old. No one wants a hardened, 14 year old boy, and I knew that. But that night, staring at this star, I decided not to care about that. To convince myself I didn't need anyone else. Every time the desire to have a family tried to resurface, I would look at the star, and it would go away."

She listens to his story, biting her lip to keep herself from telling him that it was the very same star she chose as her source of comfort, years ago.

To make things even worse, if she wasn't mistaken, it was around the same time he did, since she was 7 years old when she found the star.

It had been after another disappointment with her father. She went to his office one night, saying she didn't want to be alone because of the nightmares. He wordlessly got up from the chair behind his desk and made his way over to her.

She couldn't believe what was happening while he silently walked with her back to her room.

Hope sparked in her chest, a smile playing on her lips. Would he tell her a bedtime story? Would he caress her hair lovingly like Mr. Scott? Would he stay with her until she fell asleep?

But all her hopes and happiness were crushed when they reached the door to her room.

Richard simply pushed her inside, a bit too roughly, before slamming the door shut and locking it from the outside, leaving her all alone in the dark.

Tears burned in her eyes and Eleanor felt her heart break into a million pieces while she listened to her father's fading footsteps.

How could she have been so foolish? She should be used to this by now.

So she fought hard against the tears, making her way to the glass door of the balcony and stepping outside.

That night, she chose the very same star Charles had just showed her. She chose it to be a source of comfort, and also a reminder.

A reminder to never show weakness in front of Richard again. To never show weakness to anyone, in fact. And to never feel hope.

Who knows. Maybe this was the same night Charles found the star.

Maybe while she was staring up at it from her balcony, he was doing the exact same thing at the orphanage.

A few months ago, she might have scoffed at the absurd thought.

But thanks to recent events, she's starting to believe more and more in destiny.

She almost tells him her own story about the star, but decides not to. This would probably bring them even closer, and she just couldn't deal with that.

So she settles for listening to his deep voice as he shows her the other stars, moving closer to him and reveling in his warmth.

"It scares me." She suddenly says, her voice quiet.

"What?"

"This... Thing my father is planning. I've never liked this whole marriage thing. Every wedding I attend, when I see the bride walking in, all I can think is 'thank God that's not me.'"

He chuckles briefly at her words and she hits his chest.

"Don't laugh. I'm serious. I've always had nightmares involving weddings. I associate it with something bad... With death. I don't know why. All I know is, ever since I can remember, I've had the feeling that a marriage would mean my end."

He considers her words.

"I've never cared much for it either. People give it too much importance."

"Exactly."

Silence reigns for a few moments before she gasps suddenly, pointing at the sky.

"A shooting star! I had never seen one before."

He frowns, meeting her eyes. "Really? Never?"

"I thought I did, once. But then I realized it was just an airplane." She says with a shrug and he chuckles.

"Did you make a wish?" She asks, drawing patterns on his chest with her fingers.

"No. You?"

She could wish for so much. But in this moment, there's nothing else she wants, she wouldn't change anything.

Surprisingly, she realizes that she's perfectly content for once, completely happy right now. With Charles.

So what's the point in making a wish?

"Me neither." She says, looking up at him again. Part of her wants to say what she's thinking, but she couldn't.

And yet, by the look in his eyes, she knows he's thinking the exact same thing. And that he's reading her mind just as easily as she's reading his.

This connection of theirs scares her sometimes.

"No matter what comes our way... This moment is only ours." Charles says quietly and she nods, her heart filling with warmth.

She never believed in destiny before. But right now, as they lay here beneath the stars, together and so happy, this moment feels just too perfect, unique and  _theirs_.

Exhaustion takes her over by surprise, and she suddenly has trouble keeping her eyes open.

"What time is it?" Her sleepy voice asks and he looks up at the sky for a moment.

"Around 4 in the morning."

She frowns slightly in disbelief.

Time flies when you're having fun.

"Sleep now, Princess." His soothing voice says, close to her ear, and it's all it takes for her to slip into a deep, peaceful sleep in his arms, her hand grasping at his anchor necklace.

* * *

 The morning light wakes them up 3 hours later, Eleanor squeezing her eyes shut with a moan of complaint as she hides her face in the crook of Charles' neck.

The criminal chuckles briefly, sitting up and pulling her with him.

"Let's go inside. It's getting too cold out here." He says, but before she can move, he gets up from the lounge chair, lifting her in his arms, the blanket safely around them.

Instead of fighting him, she smiles softly into the skin of his neck, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he carries her back to the cabin.

Once they reach it, he somehow manages to close the door behind them before setting her on the bed.

She moves closer to the wall so he can climb into bed beside her, pulling the covers over their bodies while she gets closer to him.

Charles pulls her to his chest with a soft sigh of satisfaction, Eleanor's hand grasping at his necklace again as she gets into her favorite position to sleep.

One hand holding the necklace, her head over his heart so she could hear it beating reassuringly, and one leg resting over his.

The criminal drops a kiss to her forehead, tightening his arms around her.

"It's early. Go back to sleep."

Her nod of assent is the last thing he feels before sleep claims them both again.

* * *

 

When Eleanor wakes up again, it's later in the morning, and the blonde frowns when she realizes she's alone in bed.

Panic sparks in her chest for a moment, but then she hears noise from outside, reassuring her that Charles didn't leave her alone in here.

It was less cold now, so she got up and put on a white cotton dress she had brought with her from LA before heading out the door.

He was by the fire, shirtless, his back to her while he cooked some of the food they brought.

She represses a smile, heading over to him and dropping down to the ground by his side, leaning in to steal a quick kiss when he looks her way.

It surprises her, how easy this is.

Better than she expected.

They eat in silence, and then she takes a look back at the cabin, frowning slightly.

"I don't remember seeing a shower back at the bathroom."

He gestures towards the lake. "Here's your shower."

She chuckles briefly, her smile faltering when she looks at his face and notices he's actually serious.

"Really?"

"What's the problem, Princess? Too uncivilized for your tastes?" He asks with a smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"No. It's no problem at all." She says, unable to determine whether she's trying to convince Charles or herself.

"No nightmares last night?" He asks and she looks back at him.

"As if you need to ask."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know... You..." She trails off, frowning.

"I what?"

"You... Keep them away, alright? I don't how, or why. But you do."

He smirks. "There. Was that so difficult to admit?"

She scoffs, a smile escaping her.

They spend the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon exploring the woods. Eleanor tries to keep herself calm, but Charles doesn't fail to notice the way she keeps looking over her shoulder, unable to relax, thinking any minute a wild animal might appear and attack them.

When they finally make it back to the cabin, the couple takes a "bath" in the lake, but since the temperature is starting to drop with each passing minute, they don't stay in the water for too long.

They soon find themselves in front of the fire again, Charles telling her some of the horror stories he had learned at the orphanage years ago while they drank from the bottle of rum.

Soon enough, the alcohol flowing through their veins makes it impossible for them to keep their distance.

Eleanor moves to his lap, kissing him softly.

But as always, the kiss grew more and more heated each second, until he had her squirming on his lap.

The criminal raises to his feet, careful not to drop her while she wraps her legs around his hips.

Neither can stop smiling as he carries her back to the cabin, closing the door behind them.

* * *

The following morning, she wakes up feeling his fingers drawing patterns on her naked back, softly.

The blonde stretches experimentally, slowly. Her muscles are pleasantly sore, and she's sure her neck, collarbone and stomach are covered in hickeys.

They surely broke their record last night.

Smiling softly, she finally looks up, finding him staring at her with those piercing blue eyes.

"Good morning."

"Afternoon, Princess."

She frowns in disbelief. "Seriously?"

He nods. "It's just after 1 in the afternoon."

"Damn. I can't remember the last time I woke up after noon."

He clears his throat. "Well, I did keep you awake for too long last night."

She hits her chest with a smirk, but it disappears as soon as she remembers it's already Sunday.

"So... What time do we need to leave?"

"Any time is good for me. You decide."

She nods into his chest, closing her eyes to savor this moment for a while.

"I wish we could stay here forever." She says suddenly, unable to stop herself.

"We could." His deep voice replies, one of his hands caressing her hair.

"What about your accomplices?"

"Fuck them." He covers her body with his, smirking down at her. "How about that, Miss Guthrie? A life free of fathers telling you what to do?"

His tone is playful, joking, but she sees it in his eyes. If she says yes, he will actually give her that.

And she's surprised when she realizes that a big part of herself really, really wants to say yes.

But she won't.

And as much as she's trying to convince herself it's because of the Trading Company, deep down, she knows that's not the real reason.

Deep down she knows she's not saying yes to protect Charles.

If she ran away with him, Rogers wouldn't stop until he found them.

She would put a target on his back.  _Again._

And she simply refuses to do that.

_So..._

"I can't. I have... responsibilities."

He watches her face for a moment.

"Responsibilities." The criminal repeats, his tone and the look in his eyes letting her know he doesn't believe her little excuse at all.

"Yes." She says in a quiet voice, the intense look in his eyes making her shiver.

Somehow, it seems she's already hungry for him again, despite the fact that she had him so many times last night.

What the hell did this criminal do to her?

She kisses him, letting his hands move over her body.

Their time here is coming to an end. And so they enjoy their last hours in this sanctuary - _their sanctuary_  - in the best way possible.

Even though a feeling of anxiety is plaguing her, as if there's something coming. Something big.

But as Charles said, whatever comes their way, this moment is only theirs.

And this simple thought is enough to put her mind at ease.

For now, at least.

* * *

 


	23. These Violent Delights

Staring down at the pool area as Charles disappears over the wall, Eleanor sighs in relief. No matter how many times she sees him do this, she's always scared he might be caught.

The blonde looks up at the sky, appreciating the sight of the first streaks of dawn.

Maybe she should go down for a swim. It's useless trying to sleep after Charles leaves anyway.

And she needs to relax. Tonight, there will be a party here at the mansion. Which means there's no way her criminal will be able to come over to her room without being seen. So she'll be stuck here with all the guests.

With Rogers.

A shudder runs through her body. He's been strangely silent and absent lately.

And that makes her even more anxious.

There's something going on. It's as if he's just waiting for the right time to strike.

The blonde scoffs while changing into her swimwear.

His absence should make her happy. But there's just something wrong. She can feel it.

Lately, not even Charles' embrace is enough to make her feel completely calm.

It's been almost two months since their perfect weekend together, and they have established some sort of routine. He comes over almost every night and helps her practice self defense for an hour or so before they go to bed. Every night he's here, she sleeps like a baby. No nightmares, no night terrors.

On the other hand, whenever he's unable to come for some reason, she's plagued with the sight of his hanging body. And lately, the nightmares have been showing different stuff too. One of her biggest fears.

A wedding.

Her wedding.

And the man she was marrying? Rogers, of all people.

It makes her feel awful. Thank God she's not seeing his face so often. But tonight there would be no escape.

Max is finally beginning to trust Charles. All thanks to the fact she hasn't seen new cuts on Eleanor's thighs ever since the blonde met him.

Last week, she said Eleanor is officially in recovery from her self-harming habits.

And that feels good. She never thought this would happen.

Sometimes, she goes to the Demeter with Max and Idelle. Her criminal is always there with his accomplices, and she loves the atmosphere between the two of them during these occasions. They would keep staring at each other throughout the night, teasing each other in any way they could, never daring to get too close in front of all those people.

By the time they finally left the club, both were always desperate for each other. They solved this by going to the trio's main hideout, where they would lock themselves in Charles' room and lose themselves in each other.

It was good.

It was perfect.

But of course, some problems are starting to appear. People are getting suspicious.

Mr. Scott knows something's up.

Madi feels it too.

And worst of all, she knows her father and Rogers are starting to get suspicious as well.

This thought has been plaguing her for the past two weeks.

Last night she tried to talk to Charles about it, but the criminal simply shook his head, a hint of anger in his eyes before he said something along the lines of  _"Let that asshole come after me, and I'll make him regret he was ever born."_

She's not sure if he thinks this is supposed to comfort her, but it doesn't.

His harsh way of thinking was already the cause of two fights between them. Eleanor insists they need to be careful, to use their brains instead of his strength in this delicate situation. But he's having none of it.

Sometimes when she mentions Rogers, there's this wild glint to Charles' eyes, and she sees it clearly: He actually wants Rogers to come confront him. He wants this fight. He wants blood.

And it scares her to death.

This can only end in disaster. It's making her crazy to try and think of a solution.

As if this isn't enough, the other day Madi confessed she's been seeing someone.

A con man.

Eleanor immediately wanted to go to Mr. Scott and tell him about this, but somehow Madi convinced her not to, saying she wouldn't let the man - John - take advantage of her.

At first, the blonde couldn't believe this, and she admonished her friend- well, she's more like her sister, really.

But then she stopped to think how much of a hypocrite she was being. She was involved with the greatest criminal of this city, for God's sake.

Yes, her life had definitely been turned upside down.

And then there's Cora.

The woman she's sure she knows from somewhere, but with the disguise she uses, it's impossible to remember where from.

Eleanor hasn't been to the spiritist house for three weeks. For some reason, she's growing more and more afraid of learning more about her past life.

For some reason, just the thought of finding out what happened back then is enough to make her anxious.

* * *

Night falls outside while Jack stares at his leader in disbelief, Anne watching them from the couch with a scowl on her face.

"Are you kidding me, Charles?"

The criminal sighs, lighting a cigarette.

"I won't leave her in there. Stuck with her worthless father, and  _him._ " He says, clenching his jaw in anger after saying the last word.

Jack scoffs at him.

"Oh, so that's it? You are going to take a huge risk of being caught just because you're jealous? Just because Rogers will be there with her at the party? I can't believe this."

"It will be fine. I planned everything with her a few minutes ago. There's this secluded garden no one goes to in the mansion. It will be empty as always, and we'll meet there. Then I'll take her away from that stupid party."

Anne lets out a growl of annoyance, causing both man to look at her.

"Anything wrong?" The leader says, keeping her gaze in defiance.

"You better not bring that bitch here, or else I'll-"

"I won't bring her here." He cuts her off. "We'll go to the other hideout, so we can stay alone. But remember she's still under my protection, so if you or anyone else lays a finger on her, there will be consequences. Harsh consequences." He says, eyes full of warning, and Jack shakes his head at this.

The redhead gets up from the couch abruptly, getting her leather jacket and walking over to the front door. "Fuck that."

"Where are you going?" Jack asks with a frown but she doesn't answer, slamming the door behind her.

He sighs, looking over at Charles.

"What the hell am I gonna do with the two of you?"

"Fuck you, Jack."

* * *

After walking for what felt like hours, Anne makes her way back to their neighborhood. As the night progressed, it was getting colder.

But she really didn't want to go back to the hideout just yet. Maybe she could go drink somewhere?

Stopping in her tracks, the redhead looks at the building beside her. There's loud music coming from inside.

Good. A club.

As soon as she's inside, Anne realizes this isn't just a normal club, like the Demeter.

She sees all sorts of people, some of them dressed in a... unique way.

This is a gay club.

The redhead frowns, starting to turn so she could leave, but for some reason she really wants to stay.

_Oh, what the fuck._

Maybe the change of scenery would be good for her.

So she takes a deep breath, heading over to the bar.

And she soon notices she's drawing a lot of attention from the women. A few of them try to come over and start a conversation, but Anne immediately dismisses them, drinking in silence while discreetly watching this whole new world, trying hard to hide her awe.

But soon enough, a more insistent woman appears at her side, and no matter how hard Anne tries, the brunette simply refuses to leave her alone.

The redhead is already reaching for her knife when that sweet, accented voice reaches her ears.

"That's enough now, Elena." The brunette looks away from Anne as Max reaches the bar, rolling her eyes at the interruption.

"Really? With all these women here tonight, you need to do this?"

Max raises an eyebrow at her. "Leave us. Unless you want me to call your girlfriend and let her know all about this?"

Elena clenches her jaw hard before wordlessly leaving them.

Anne avoids the other woman's eyes, continuing to drink in silence while she sits on the barstool right next to hers, ordering a drink too.

"Sorry about that. That woman is impossible. Every time her girlfriend is away, she cheats on her." Max says, finally breaking the silence between them. But Anne doesn't say a word, merely shaking her head at the mention of cheating.

"So... First time here, huh? What are you doing in a gay club, all alone?"

Anne sighs, the alcohol in her blood helping her relax a little. "Don't know. Came in here by chance."

Max nods with a smile. "Ah. By chance. Okay, well... I'll leave you to it then." She says, starting to leave, but the redhead reaches for her arm.

"Can you stay? Not that I want you to, but... Ever since you approached me, the women left me alone."

Max smirks. "Alright. I'll stay."

"What the fuck is wrong with them?"

"Well... You draw a lot of attention, you know. Your type is kinda rare in here."

"My type?"

"Your type, uh... All silent and tough looking, natural redhead..." A smirk tugs at Anne's lips at that, and Max smiles in triumph before continuing. "A 'straight' girl, who's a little bit... curious..." She leans closer. "...Not to mention, absolutely gorgeous."

Anne frowns at her, but finds herself unable to pull away, unable to avert her eyes. "Like I said. I came here by chance."

Max raises her eyebrows. "Hm. I don't believe you. But it's okay."

Finally, the redhead gets the strength to move away from the other woman, checking the time on her phone and wanting to change the subject.

"That blonde bitch of yours will fuck us, you know."

"Why, what happened?"

"In three hours, Charles will go to the mansion so he can rescue her from the stupid party her father is throwing. It's a huge risk he's taking."

She can see the relief that fills Max's eyes as the other woman exhales softly.

"So he'll take her away from there. From Rogers. Good. I was worried about her."

Max realized too late that this was the worst thing she could have said, as Anne scoffs, starting to leave.

She curses under her breath, hopping off the barstool too and going after the redhead, grabbing her arm when she reaches her.

Anne shot her a look full of warning, even though she just knows she wouldn't be able to hurt this woman.

For some reason.

"I'm not going to try and keep you from leaving, Anne. But... A bit of advice? Get out of that closet. It's killing you. I actually think that part of this whole tough, tense attitude of yours is because you refuse to come out."

Anne stares at her in disbelief for a moment, not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm not gay!" She finally snaps. "I've been in a relationship with a man for almost 10 years, how can you possibly think I'm a lesbian?"

The other woman sighs. "I never said you were a lesbian."

Anne scoffs. "Yeah, right. Of course."

Max narrows her eyes at the redhead.

"In case you didn't notice... There's a 'B' in 'LGBT'. Think about that, okay?" Max says, sighing and turning to leave. "You have my number."

The redhead frowns, shaking her head slightly before leaving the place.

* * *

The sight Eleanor is greeted with after she makes her way down the grand staircase makes her stop in her tracks.

Rogers is talking to couple, holding a baby in his arms.

A frown comes to her face. Now that's something she never thought she would see.

Feeling her eyes on him, the man turns his head to meet her gaze, and for some reason she can't help the soft smile that escapes her while confusion fills his eyes, even though he smiles back.

For a moment, all her anger towards him is gone as they watch each other, the baby cooing happily in Rogers' arms.

But soon this atmosphere is broken and she comes back to reality, her smile vanishing and a frown appearing as she shakes her head lightly, moving to the small group.

"Good evening." She greets the guests with a forced smile before looking at the baby, who was watching her with big, curious eyes. "He's growing up fast."

As his parents tell her about how the little man has learned how to sit up on his own last week, he suddenly shrieks, reaching for her.

Rogers lets out a brief chuckle.

"Looks like he has grown bored of me. But I don't blame him. With such a beautiful lady here, why would he want to stay in my arms?" The baby's parents laugh and Eleanor hesitates for a moment before moving closer to him.

As he gives her the baby, their eyes meet and there's something about this moment... She feels a pang in her heart.

A huge sense of loss overcomes her for a second.

And the soft smile he gives her is different from the ones she usually sees on his arrogant face.

It's so sincere. Genuine. Warm.

In this moment, she sees it in his eyes. He feels something weird too.

Coming back to reality, she averts her eyes, slowly moving away from him with the baby in her arms.

"It's good practice for you two." The father says with a smile, just as her own father arrives, looking really pleased.

Shit. He must have seen her and Rogers' little moment a few seconds ago.

"Yes. It is. Hopefully these two will give me some grandchildren soon after the wedding."

"Father." She says in an annoyed tone.

"Let's not make Eleanor uncomfortable." Rogers says and she looks over at him. "It's a bit too soon to talk about that."

She frowns.

_Never thought I'd feel grateful for something you said._

But she soon understands what he's trying to do.

He's attempting to gain some of her trust.

_Nice try._

The baby soon starts to grow impatient, moving his little arms and showing his desire to see more of the place.

Eleanor looks up at his mother.

"Do you mind if I walk with him for a bit?"

"Not at all! Go ahead, thank you for watching him."

She nods with a smile before turning around and walking away from the group, not failing to hear how her father whispered something to Rogers.

And soon enough, his footsteps sound behind her.

Eleanor clenches her jaw when he reaches her side, walking with her. She tries to ignore him.

"What was that a few minutes ago?" He finally says, just as they stop by one of the paintings on the wall after the baby shows a particular interest in it.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I'm talking about. There was something different. All your usual hostility towards me was gone. Don't think I did not notice."

She scoffs. "You're imagining things. Seek help."

Rogers raises an eyebrow, sighing while reaching to touch one of the baby's tiny hands, using this as an excuse to let his thumb brush over the soft skin of Eleanor's arm.

The open doors to the gardens are right beside them, and of course the little man reaches towards them. Eleanor obeys, walking outside, grateful to feel the cool air hitting her skin.

Rogers is silent as they walk through the gardens, the baby cooing and shrieking happily were the only sounds between them. Eventually her arms start to hurt and he offers to hold the baby for a while.

She agrees, but it looks like the little man has other plans, as he simply refuses to leave her arms and go to Rogers'.

She sighs, looking around and finding the bench by the old oak tree.

"I'll just sit down with him and rest for a minute." The blonde says, walking towards the bench and sitting down, hoping the baby won't get mad.

Thankfully, he doesn't make a sound of complaint, settling for playing with her necklace.

She looks up at Rogers and finds him staring down at them with a strange look on his face, his eyes clouded over.

Eleanor frowns, a sense of dread spreading in her chest.

"Rogers?" Her voice is hesitant, but he comes back to reality, shaking his head.

"Sorry. I don't know what happened."

She nods while he sits down beside her, taking a deep breath.

Something's not right.

Silence reigns for what feels like an eternity before he speaks again, his voice unexpectedly tender.

"I know you're upset about something, Eleanor. You've been tense, and I won't pretend to know why."

She glances at him, the baby cooing to himself on her lap.

Her heart rate increases when she sees him pull out a blue velvet jewel case, moving to open it.

"Relax." He says when she starts to protest. "It's not an engagement ring. Not yet, anyway." The idiot flashes her a charming smile before opening the small case, revealing a beautiful bracelet.

Her breath catches.

The chain was gold, with small glittering jewels.

There was one big stone too, shining in the moonlight and capturing the baby's attention. He tries to grab it but Eleanor keeps him trapped in her arms. He fusses for a moment before quieting down, deciding the lace of her dress was much more interesting.

"My God... It's..."

"A diamond, yes." Rogers interrupts with a smile, taking the bracelet in his hands before moving to carefully clasp it around her right wrist. "I was going to save it for after the wedding, but I couldn't resist."

"This... Is overwhelming, you really shouldn't have-"

"I wanted to. To show you that my feelings are true."

Eleanor scoffs at him.

_Yeah, right._

"There will be no wedding, by the way." She says, noticing that the baby is falling asleep in her arms, his tiny hand holding on to the lace of her dress, just below her breasts.

Rogers sighs, once more using the excuse of touching the baby's hand to touch her. She represses a shudder while he brings his hand to her wrist, brushing his fingers over the bracelet.

"There's nothing I can't give you. There's nothing I will deny you... If you don't deny me." He moves closer. "Just open your heart to me, Eleanor."

She swallows nervously as he begins to lean towards her slowly, but then her phone rings inside her purse. She got a text.

And the moment was broken.

_Saved by the bell._

"I need to go back inside and give Theodore back to his mother." She says, getting up from the bench, the baby still asleep in her arms. "We'll talk about this bracelet later."

As soon as she goes back inside, Mr. Scott is at her side.

"Did he do anything to you, Eleanor?"

"No, he... I'm okay."

"You seem disturbed, what happened?"

"He was going to try to kiss me but then my phone rang. Look, I need to find Theodore's mom, do you know where she is?"

Mr. Scott sighs, pointing at the woman talking to a group of other guests and Eleanor thanks him before leaving to return the baby.

As he catches sight of Rogers coming back from the gardens too, his first instinct is to clench his jaw and shoot him a look full of warning. But he soon remembers there would be consequences and stays put, looking away from him.

But it does take him a lot of willpower to keep himself from giving that man a piece of his mind and defending his little girl.

* * *

After returning the sleeping baby to his mother, Eleanor rushes to the bathroom, wanting to see who had been her savior back at the gardens.

A chuckle escapes her when she sees who had sent the message that saved her.

Charles.

_Of course._

_"C: Is everything ok?"_

She shakes her head with a soft smile, typing in her reply.

_"Sort of. Can you just come over already? I don't want to stay here anymore."_

She checks her appearance in the mirror while waiting for him to reply.

_"C: Then come to the garden you mentioned. I'm already here."_

Her eyes widen in surprise at that and she leaves the bathroom, careful not to be seen while making her way to the dark corridors that led to the secluded garden.

* * *

The criminal is nowhere to be seen when she reaches the dark garden, and her heart skips a beat, the blonde already fearing for the worst.

_Did someone find him?_

But her fear is short lived, as strong arms wrap around her from behind.

Of course her first instinct is to scream, but the person was already prepared, quickly covering her mouth with his hand and turning her around.

She's ready to dig her sharp nails into his eyes, but stops at the sight of the familiar blue depths staring down at her.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" She whispers, hitting Charles' chest and scowling. "How long have you been here?"

"Half an hour, maybe. I knew you would want to leave early."

"You fucking idiot! You could have been caught! You could have-"

Her words are cut off when he pulls her to him, kissing her deeply. Her legs feel like jelly and she sighs, moving her hands to his hair.

"But I wasn't." He says with a smirk when he pulls away, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Let's just leave, alright? Where did you leave the motorcycle?" She asks, holding his hand and guiding him to the wooden gate of the tall fence that surrounded the garden. They just needed to go through it, then they would be out of the mansion grounds.

She had brought the key with her, and started to work on unlocking the old gate. A task made difficult, because the criminal decided it would be a great idea to wrap his arms around her from behind again.

A sigh escapes her when he starts kissing her neck.

"I need to unlock this thing, can't you wait for a little while..." She trails off when he captures her earlobe between his teeth, one hand moving to one of her breasts before squeezing softly.

The blonde almost loses her resolve and turns around to kiss him, but somehow she actually manages to open the gate.

"The motorcycle's right there." He points to a couple trees a few feet away from the fence, and she's barely able to see it hidden in the shadows. "You lock that gate up; I'll bring it here so we can leave." She nods as he starts to turn around.

But then...

"Eleanor?" The blonde closes her eyes at the voice, and Charles quickly puts on his helmet, making sure it was covering his face before turning around towards the mansion again, seeing a young girl approaching them.

"Where are you going?" She asks with a frown and the blonde gives him a reassuring look, letting him know it was okay before moving to meet the girl at the gate.

"Abigail, what are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you, actually. Your father wants you back inside, and Mr. Rogers was looking for you too."

"Why?" She asks suspiciously, glancing over her shoulder at Charles for a moment.

The criminal scowls. Something about the sight of her with that girl, by a gate...

A wave of déjà vu washes over him, resentment sparking in his chest.

_A choice._ _A key._

_No turning back._

He shakes his head slightly, continuing to watch the interaction between Eleanor and that girl.

"I don't know. It seemed as if they had something important to announce."

"If they think I'll go back there so they can corner me and announce the wedding, they are mistaken."

"You think that's what they're planning?"

"I have no doubt."

"It could be something concerning our parents' partnership."

At that, the blonde frowns.

"I had forgotten about that."

Yes. She should go back inside with Abigail, listen to what her father had to say.

She looks back at Charles, finding him watching them in silence.

No.

**_No._ **

She shakes her head, turning back to look at Abigail.

"I won't take the risk. I'm leaving now, and you are going to tell my father I wasn't feeling too well, that I went to my bedroom, and most importantly, you won't say a thing about the man behind me, do you understand, Abigail?"

The younger girl frowns. "Why?"

"Because if you do, I will be in deep trouble. Can you do that for me, please? Can you help me?"

She thinks for a second before nodding with a smile.

"I won't let you down, Eleanor. I promise."

The blonde smiles back at her.

"Good girl. Now go, I'll text you later, alright?"

Charles watches curiously as she locks the gate. A sense of relief and warmth spreads in his chest. And he has no idea why. He just feels as if something huge just happened here.

She chose him. Instead of leaving with... Abigail, was it?

But why the hell did this mean so much to him?

"Are you sure we can trust her?" He asks as Eleanor puts the key back inside her purse, making her way to him.

"She won't say a thing. I watched over that girl many times, ever since she was little. Abigail always saw me as some sort of role model; she won't want to disappoint me."

He nods as she puts on Anne's helmet, getting on the motorcycle and wrapping her arms around his waist.

* * *

They stop at a red light and Charles uses the opportunity to move one of his hands to hers, caressing her fingers softly before moving to her right wrist, feeling an unfamiliar bracelet.

He frowns, looking down at her wrist to see it.

And something suddenly clicks inside his head.

As soon as the light turns green again, he speeds off, surprising her when he suddenly changes their route.

They soon find themselves in a dark alley, far away from their original destination.

The criminal gets off the motorcycle, taking off his helmet and watching while Eleanor does the same, revealing her confused face. "Charles, what the hell?"

"Eleanor. The bracelet on your right wrist, I've never seen it before. Who gave it to you, was it Rogers?"

She sighs. "Yeah, he gave it to me earlier, why?"

He grabs her wrist, unclasping the bracelet and throwing it to the other side of the alley.

It lands on the ground in front of an old man with a prosthetic leg, a cat sleeping on his lap.

She frowns, looking back at Charles' face.

"Why did you do that?"

He grabs a hold of her shoulders. "It's a tracking device."

"What? How do you know?"

"I've seen one of these before. He was trying to track you. Now come on, let's leave this place." She shakes her head, looking at the old man again for a moment before obeying, getting on the motorcycle.

* * *

Later, much later, at the hideout, Eleanor lays her head on Charles' chest with a tired, satisfied sigh.

He had been a little rougher than usual tonight, his anger towards Rogers getting the best of him.

But she loved every minute of it.

Secretly, she likes it when he gets like this.

The criminal sighs after a moment, one hand caressing her naked back softly as if to make up for all the harshness from earlier.

"I didn't... hurt you, did I?"

She smiles, looking up at him. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

He nods, staring up at the ceiling.

And Eleanor stops to think about what happened back at the mansion for the first time.

Why did she do that? Why did she leave like that? That partnership was really important for the company, she should have been there.

She really should have been there.

But she couldn't explain what she felt, standing there with Abigail while Charles watched them.

Her feelings of guilt and self hatred had attacked her full force, her heart begging her to choose Charles.

To choose him, instead of going back inside with Abigail.

What was going on?

In her head, she hears the sound of an old gate being locked, and his face flashes through her mind, illuminated by a torch, eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

Weirdly, tears come to her eyes and she hides her face in his shoulder with a sigh.

But at the same time she feels this weird sadness, a sense of relief spreads inside her.

_I made the right decision this time._

She frowns as the thought runs through her head, barely registering the sound of a message arriving on her phone.

Seconds later, she feels Charles' arm tightening possessively around her, a growl escaping the criminal.

Only then she notices he had her phone in his free hand.

"What is it?" She asks, reaching for the phone and rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Rogers had texted her.

_"You father is really disappointed with you, Eleanor. Would it hurt to hang on just a little while longer before leaving for your room? I hope you feel better soon. You and I need to talk."_

"Say the word. Say the word and I'll go to that idiot, I want to have a little 'talk' with him too." Charles says, anger evident in his voice.

She shakes her head, pulling herself up on one elbow to look at his face. "Don't. Please."

"Why?"

"I just... don't want anything happening to you."

He kisses her, arms tightening around her waist while he covers her body with his before pulling away.

"We'll be ok, Eleanor. I promise, alright? Whatever happens, we'll be just fine."

She nods softly, tears burning in her eyes while she kisses him.

As his hands move over her body, she tries hard not to cry. As soothing as his words and touch are, she just can't shake this fear, this feeling telling her there's something coming.

Gasping in pleasure when he enters her again, the blonde digs her nails into the skin of his back, hiding her face in his shoulder as he moves inside her.

Three little words come to the tip of her tongue, and she desperately wants to say them out loud. But as always, she just can't bring herself to do it.

So she repeats them in her mind over and over again, praying he will somehow be able to hear them.

**_I love you._ **

* * *

_**Two days later** _

_**Guthrie Mansion** _

"Did you notice how weird Mr. Ashe's daughter was acting when she came back from the gardens?" Rogers asks, staring out the window of Richard's office.

"What do you mean?" The other man says as he turns around to face him.

"When we asked her about Eleanor, and she said she didn't see her. She was lying. I know people; I know how to read their body language. Abigail was covering for Eleanor. And I didn't tell you, Sir, but later that night I approached her and questioned her about your daughter. I asked if she knew anything about a romantic relationship of Eleanor's."

"What did she say?"

"Miss Ashe told me your daughter wasn't seeing anyone. But that was another lie. Her pupils were dilating, her voice shook and she was stuttering. She knows something."

Richard narrows his eyes, pulling out his phone and calling someone.

Rogers represses a smirk of triumph, turning around again to stare out at the gardens while Richard talked to the person on the other side of the line.

"Peter? Do me a favor. Come over to the mansion, and bring your daughter with you. We need to have a little chat."


	24. The Choice

Sitting on the hood of her father's car, Madi looks up at the morning sky before closing her eyes with a sigh, smiling as the soft breeze caresses her face.

The peaceful moment is soon broken, but her smile only gets bigger.

"Morning, gorgeous! Glad you could make it."

She opens her eyes to see the blue-eyed con man as he makes his way to the car with that roguish smile she's growing to love.

"Guess what? I got you a gift." He says, leaning against the car's hood and giving her a velvet jewel case.

Her eyes widen and she meets his eyes.

"John! What... You shouldn't have, I..."

"Don't worry. It was no trouble. Randall found this expensive diamond bracelet in an alley the other night. I was going to give it to you, but then I noticed it was a tracking device. So I sold it, and with the money I got, I bought this." He says as she opens the small case, her breath catching. It was a gold necklace with two pendants; a crown and her initial.

The crown had tiny jewels on it, and Madi had never seen something so beautiful in her life.

"What's with the crown?" She asks while letting John clasp the necklace around her neck.

"Honestly, I don't know. The idea just came to me. Ever since the first time I saw you, I just can't shake this weird thought. I feel like you were born to be a queen. I have no idea why."

At that, she laughs.

"Queen of what, the animal shelter?"

He laughs too, shaking his head at her.

"But really. It's beautiful. I absolutely love it." She says, leaning in to give him a brief kiss and smirking when she pulls away.

"Uh oh. That smirk is usually followed by something I don't like. What is it?"

"Well... I'm probably going to wear this at all times now, which means my father will see it sooner or later. And he will ask where I got it from."

John grimaces, keeping an arm around her shoulders.

"Are you saying I'll have to meet your dad?"

"Maybe not right now, but... I would like it if you met him. We've been seeing each other for almost two months now. And I'm having trouble determining what your intentions are."

He sighs, staying silent for a moment.

"I like you, Madi. I really do. I've never met anyone like you. And I want you to know that I'm not just messing around with you. If it makes you happy, I will meet you father."

She smiles, looking up at him. "Thank you."

He smirks, kissing her while she keeps her fingers on the crown pendant.

"There's just one problem though." He says when they pull away. Madi frowns in question. "We might have to hide some stuff from him. Will he believe it if we say I'm just a street artist?"

Madi laughs, shaking her head at his adorable expression.

* * *

_"Can you tell me who that man was? The one who was at the gardens with you? Is he someone I have seen before?"_

Eleanor frowns, looking down at her phone as she gets ready for the day. Abigail usually texts her in a less formal manner. Her father's speeches must be getting to her head.

The blonde thinks for a moment. Should she tell her the truth? Or maybe part of the truth?

She knows she can trust Abigail. The girl would never want to disappoint her.

It will be okay, she won't reveal his name. She will just give the girl a tidbit of what she wants to know.

_"You don't know him. He's doesn't really follow the law, you know."_  She texts back, walking out the door of her bedroom.

Just as she reaches the door of her father's office, another text arrives.

_"I see. Is he a criminal, then?"_

She frowns. This is definitely not like Abigail.

_Something's not right._

Her fears are confirmed when she steps inside the office. The blonde stops in her tracks, her blood running cold.

Three people are sitting down on the sofas in the middle of the room.

Her father, his eyes filled with anger and disapproval. Abigail, looking really guilty and nervous, Mr Ashe beside her.

Rogers.

Standing there in a business suit, Abigail's pink IPhone in his hands, a smirk of triumph tugging at his lips.

He was the one who was texting her

She closes her eyes slowly, clenching her jaw hard.

"So that's why you have been behaving differently lately, my lady?" He asks and she opens her eyes, immediately looking at Abigail, shaking her head with a disapproving look on her face.

"I'm sorry! Father threatened to cut off my credit card and take my car if I didn't cooperate!" She tries to explain herself and Eleanor scoffs at the girl.

"My daughter involved with a criminal. I raised you and gave you all my love, is that how you repay me?" Her father asks and she narrows her eyes at him.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

"What's his name, Eleanor?" Rogers asks, giving the IPhone back to Abigail before starting to walk towards her.

She stands her ground, raising her chin in defiance and not saying a word.

"Just tell me his name. I promise you, he will not be harmed."

"I will not give you his name." She seethes at him, images of one of her regressions flashing through her mind. How she had given Charles' name to this idiot, back in that dark cell.

She would die before doing that again.

He clenches his jaw, not breaking eye contact.

"How about we make a deal? You tell me his name now, tell me where to find this man, and I will merely give him a warning to stay far away from you. Now, if you refuse to tell me, I will find out who he is on my own. And there will be harsher consequences for him in this case. It's your decision, my dear."

She keeps his gaze for a few moments before leaning forward slightly with a sarcastic smirk. He raises an eyebrow, watching her closely. Probably thinking she would kiss him.

_Arrogant bastard._

"Fuck you." Is all she says before turning around and storming out of the office, ignoring her father calling her name.

Rogers clenches his jaw again, watching the door for a moment before turning to face the three other people in the office.

"You said you remember what his eyes looked like?" He asks, watching Abigail while she sighs, clearly not wanting to cooperate any further.

But one stern look from Peter is all it takes.

"I... Yes, he had blue eyes. I couldn't see the rest of his face because of the helmet, but I did notice he had long, dark hair too."

He nods. "I will search through my database. Any blue-eyed criminals I find, I will show you. Hopefully you'll be able to recognize him and make this search easier for me."

"Shouldn't we go after my daughter?" Richard asks, getting up from the couch.

"I don't think it will be necessary, Sir. She will come back once she calms down. If she's not back by tomorrow, I will search for her myself." Rogers says with a reassuring nod before leaving to start his research.

* * *

"Charles?! Charles..." Eleanor bursts into the hideout. Thankfully, the door was unlocked.

The criminal emerges from his room with a frown, rushing to meet her. She throws her arms around his neck, panic written all over her face.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He asks, wrapping his arms around her protectively for a moment before pulling away to look her in the eyes.

"They pressured her... He knows, Rogers knows, he-" Her words are rushed, and she's not making any sense, eyes glinting with despair and unshed tears.

"Eleanor. Calm down. Who pressured who?" He interrupts her, brushing her hair behind her ear while she takes a deep breath.

"Abigail. They made her confess she saw us together. Rogers used her phone to text me, and..."

He closes his eyes, rubbing his forehead with a heavy sigh. "What exactly did you tell him, Eleanor?"

"I didn't reveal your name; I just said you didn't follow the law. Then when I arrived at my father's office and saw that it was Rogers who had been texting me instead of her, I stood my ground. He tried manipulating me, saying that if I gave him your name and told him where to find you, he wouldn't harm you."

"What did you do?"

"I told him a nice 'fuck you' and left the mansion."

A smirk tugs at his lips, pride swelling in his chest. He would have liked to see that.

"Wait, why... Why are you smiling, you idiot?! Don't you see we're in deep trouble now? He won't stop until he finds you!"

"It will be okay. We'll get through this."

She scoffs, pulling away from him and moving to sit down on the couch, fighting against tears while he follows her, watching her closely.

"No. It won't be okay. This can only end in disaster." He doesn't sit down with her, just keeps standing in front of the couch, not taking his eyes off her while she stares at the wall, seeming to be in deep thought.

"I don't see a move I can make from here." She finally says, looking up at his face. "If I keep refusing Rogers now, my life will turn into hell. He will be angry, and even more inclined to find you. I think... I have no other choice now."

"What do you mean?" He asks with a frown, not liking where this was going.

"I put a target on your back, Charles."

_Again._

Her voice breaks and she tries hard to fight against the tears. "I didn't mean to, but I did. And now, I need to clean up this mess. If I accept Rogers' proposal, I get to keep the Company, and that will also stop him from going after you."

"Is that what you want? To be his wife?"

"No! You know that. But I need to use my brain. If I do this, everything will be okay, our problems will be solved. I need to... adapt." She says, getting up from the couch.

The sad, lost look in her eyes breaks his heart into a million pieces.

"So that's it? You'll just give up?" He begins to speak, walking closer to her. "You say everything will be okay. But you're lying.  **You**  won't be okay, and your well being is my priority. Choose this, and they will keep you trapped, they will clip your wings. If that's what you want, be my guest, accept Rogers' proposal, do what your father wants, beg them to let you keep what is already yours."

He stops mere inches from her. "Or tell them a big 'fuck you', and choose your freedom. If you have to do something you don't want in exchange for your father's love, then there's something wrong, don't you think?"

She frowns at him. "What are you saying?"

"Stay with me. Forget those stupid people, that stupid Company, the stupid high society. Stay with me, and you won't have to sacrifice your freedom."

She begins to shake her head, not believing what she was hearing. "I can't. Rogers, he will-"

"Let him come after me. I'm not afraid of that idiot. He won't find me. He won't find  _us_."

"Are you seriously asking me to run away with you?"

"Why not? You want this, I see it in your eyes. I saw it back at the cabin, I'm seeing it now. Eleanor, we need to stop avoiding this, fighting this. I think by now we both know it's useless. Stay with me. We'll be free, we'll run from Rogers, from your father. They won't catch us, never. You will be able to be who you really are, instead of having to wear a mask to please them. You and I will pursuit our survival together, our freedom, not having to follow this society's stupid rules. It will be you and me against the world, and we'll stand our ground, for another day, another month, another year. A lifetime."

She wants it. But she's also scared as hell, and the look in her eyes is proof of it.

"I know you're in love with me. Just as I am with you. How about we just stop lying to each other, to ourselves, and see where this will take us? Our minds work well together, we will be unstoppable, invincible. Hey-" He holds her chin to look into her scared eyes. "Do you trust me?"

She simply watches him, exhaling deeply while her brain processes everything he had said. She's making a decision, and he smirks at her. "Say it. Say you want this. Or... You can be Eleanor Rogers for the rest of your life. It's your call."

The name sounds so ridiculous, so weird, that she has to chuckle, and he's satisfied to break the heavy atmosphere between them. "I take it that means you made your decision."

She finally looks up at him, nodding slightly.

"Then tell me." He encourages, not breaking eye contact. She bites her lip with a smile, letting out a brief laugh before locking her hands behind his neck.

"Yes. I am in love with you. Deeply in love with you."

"And?"

"And... You have my trust. Something about you... I don't know. I just feel like we have such a deep bond. Do you feel it too?"

He nods, a loving smile tugging at his lips.

"Well... I think that's it. You somehow got past my walls and found your way inside my heart. I still don't know how, but you did. And... I'm so fucking scared, but I think it's time I stop trying to fight this."

"You don't have to be scared of me, Eleanor. I promise."

"I know... I know. Now I know that you're here for me, and whatever comes our way, we'll fight it."

"I'll never stop fighting for you. You just need to let me in. To choose this."

She nods, looking him in the eyes. "This goes against everything I've ever planned. You turned my life upside down, but I can't ignore that ever since we've met... I don't know, I have never been happier. You made me feel alive for the first time in my whole life. It's like you've awakened a part of me that I didn't even remember, but I can't live without this. Not anymore. I've made my decision. The Company is important to me, but I always felt like it was just a substitute for... something. I don't know how to explain it. But when I'm with you... I just feel like I'm closer to something that is truly important. I don't know what, but..."

Eleanor shakes her head, feeling a pull on her mind. Lookin at his face again, she sees it.

He's feeling it too.

"You feel that?" He asks quietly with a frown before shaking his head. "You were saying?"

She blinks hard.

"What I'm saying is... I..." The blonde trembles slightly. This is clearly difficult for her. He pulls her closer, silently offering his support. "I... will leave it behind. It hurts. But I won't give up my freedom. I'm willing to see what will happen. What is this truly important thing I will find if I choose to stay with you."

She looks up at him with a bright smile, suddenly emotional, as tears come to her eyes. "I won't be Woodes Rogers' docile wife. I won't pretend to be something I'm not. I won't do all this just so I can earn my father's approval. I... will choose what I feel it's best for me. I will choose you, Charles." He smiles and she lets out a brief, happy laugh.

"Always you." She barely finishes speaking before he kisses her, already starting to walk them back towards his room, that wonderful fire consuming them.

That wonderful, perfect and familiar fire.

Familiar...

_"Another day, another month, another year. A lifetime."_

_A choice... A key... A gate._

Something comes over them.

And images start flashing through their minds as they break their kiss, their brains foggy while they hold on to each other tightly.

_A camp at a beach. Nights drinking at the tavern. Nights spent in his tent. In her room._

_Flags. Ships. Pirates. Battles._

_A break up. An exchange of punches._

_A passionate, desperate encounter inside his tent._

_Eleanor screaming at the beach as a crowd gathered around her._

_Giving away his ship._

_Charles being buried alive._

Their eyes meet as they slowly let go of each other, breathing heavily, the fog in their brains still thick as images -  _memories_  - keep assaulting them.

_Cutting off a man's head. A heated encounter at the fort._

_A ship._

_A choice._

_A key, a gate, a girl._

_Betrayal. Murder._

_**A hanging.** _

The fog dissipates as suddenly as it had appeared and they gasp sharply, only now realizing the distance they had put between each other.

Eleanor exhales deeply, gripping her aching head and looking up at his face.

She remembers.  _Everything._

He clenches his jaw, hands balling up into fists while he watches her, that savage glint from his previous life coming to his eyes again.

"Charles..." She whispers, dread spreading inside her.

But it's no use.

So she watches in pain, despair, regret and fear as his eyes fill with that pure, animalistic rage once more.

Captain Charles Vane is back.


	25. Dark Waters

"Charles..." Her voice is shaky, and she tries to take a step closer to him, immediately changing her mind when he shoots her a warning look, eyes dark with rage.

"Don't." He runs a hand through his hair, shaking slightly with barely contained anger before looking at her. The love and affection from just a few minutes ago was completely gone. Now there was just hate, and a coldness that broke her heart into a million pieces.

_This hurts._

It hurts like hell.

"Get out."

"I-"

"Get the fuck out! Or I swear I'm gonna kill you."

"Please... Just... Things changed."

He lets out a brief, hollow laugh.

"Eleanor. Nothing changed. Now get out. I don't ever wanna see your face again. If you seek me out, I don't know what I'm capable of."

She shakes her head, despair spreading inside her.

Just as he was about to speak again, his phone rings and he answers the call, eyes not leaving hers.

"What, Jack?"

_"Chrales- is she in there? Just... Do you remember too?"_

"Yeah."

_"Anne's so angry, she's heading back there with the motorcycle right now. She left me behind. If Eleanor is there, just... Do something. If Anne sees her, she'll kill her. It will be a disaster for us."_

"Got it." He says, ending the call and throwing his phone to the couch.

"Please, Charles... I can't lose you again." Her voice is quiet, breaking slightly, her blue-green eyes glinting with unshed tears.

And it breaks his heart.

But he can't deal with this again.

"You don't need me! Just run back to your precious governor, wasn't that the solution to all your problems three centuries ago?"

She shakes her head furiously, tears threatening to run down her face.

"No. It wasn't." Her voice sounds so weak and he clenches his jaw, using an extreme amount of willpower to resist the temptation of wrapping his arms around her and comforting her.

Instead, he focuses on his anger.

"Get out of my sight, Eleanor. Right now. Or you're gonna get hurt."

"I can't-"

"Run back to your beloved governor! The more I look at you, the more I want to kill you. And even if I'm holding back, Anne will be here any minute. She'll be much more inclined to take your life in the most painful way possible, and believe me, I won't fucking stop her!"

He wasn't lying.

Taking a shuddering breath, she fights against the tears, putting on a emotionless mask and raising her chin, anger rising in her chest.

"Fine then. I'll go back to 'my precious governor', if that's what you want. Thank God I have him!" She says with a smirk, wanting to hurt him. Heading to the door, she glances back at the criminal, seeing him clenching his jaw, eyes filled with rage.

"Goodbye, Charles." Her voice is quiet, breaking slightly as she walks out the door, closing it behind her.

She takes a shuddering breath, a choked sob leaving her lips.

Glass smashes against the other side of the door as he throws something at it, causing her to jump slightly and finally leave the hideout, getting inside her car and driving away.

The tears she's holding back are beginning to win, and her phone ringing on the passenger seat catches her attention.

More than 10 missed calls from Mr. Scott.

Another sob leaves her when she realizes it. He remembers.

Changing her route, she drives in the direction of his neighborhood.

* * *

Still fighting against the tears, she gets out of the car and runs inside his house, finding him and his daughter hugging, both clearly emotional.

He lets go of Madi when he sees the state she's in, offering her a smile and opening his arms, taking a step forward.

She sobs, running straight into his arms and he hugs her tightly, one hand cradling the back of her head protectively.

"Thank God you're safe. You've been seeing... him, haven't you?"

She nods softly, and the tears finally stream down her face as she cries, sobbing and shaking in his arms.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay."

"He hates me." She manages to say in a quiet voice. "I regret it... I regret everything!"

"I know. I know."

"What have I done?"

She feels Madi's hands come to her shoulders before the girl joins them, one of her father's arms coming around her as she hugs him and Eleanor.

"Everything will be just fine, Eleanor. You'll see."

The blonde scoffs, pulling away from them and wiping some of the tears away.

"No. No, it won't. Charles..." Her voice breaks and she covers her eyes with trembling hands, unable to keep talking, shaking her head as more tears start to flow.

_So much for trying to look strong._

Scott sighs, his heart breaking for her.

"It will take some time..."

"No, he... He'll never forgive me."

"It's better this way. Listen, you'll... Find someone else."

She lifts her head, swallowing her emotions.

"Rogers. I still have him." The blonde says in a quiet voice, forcing a smile as Scott scowls, Madi shaking her head with a worried look.

"He... I need to know if he remembers too. I need to go to him..." She turns to walk back outside, but Scott reaches for her, grabbing her wrist and stopping her in her tracks. She looks back at him over her shoulder.

"Eleanor. Don't." there's a pleading look in his eyes and her heart clenches as she pulls her wrist free from his grasp just like Charles had taught her, eyes filled with sadness.

"I'm sorry." Is all she whispers before she runs outside, ignoring Scott and Madi's calls of her name as she gets in her car and drives off, even more tears running down her face.

* * *

"Woodes! Woodes..." Her voice is desperate as she bursts into his office, not even bothering with trying to hold her tears back anymore.

"Eleanor? What happened?" He frowns, sharing a brief look with the older redhead sitting on the chair in front of his desk before the blonde runs to him, throwing her arms around his neck and hiding her face in his shoulder. He's surprised, hesitantly wrapping his arms around her shaking form.

"Leave us, Mrs. Hudson."

The private investigator nods with a slight frown, leaving the office and closing the door behind her.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away, I... remember everything now. I'm so sorry..." Eleanor says in a shaky voice and he frowns, pulling away to look at her tear stained face, holding her chin.

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves before leaning forward, their lips meeting, and he wonders if he's dreaming for a moment before responding, pulling her closer to him while they kissed.

He soon has her against his desk and she hops up on it, trying hard to ignore how wrong this feels.

But when his hands move under her shirt to feel her skin, she pulls away to look him in the eyes with a scowl on her face.

"Do you..."

He raises an eyebrow in question.

"Do I what? Eleanor, what brought this on? Not that I'm complaining, but..."

A sob leaves her lips.

_He doesn't remember._

More tears flow as she pushes him away, jumping down from his desk and running out of the office while he called her name.

As she gets into her car and drives off, her body shakes and she can't stop sobbing.

Her father left her alone so many times when she was a child, to deal with her fears on her own. But that was nothing compared to  _this._

Eleanor has never felt so alone, lost and scared in her life.

* * *

"Where the fuck is the cunt?" Anne screams angrily as she throws the front door open, knife in her hand, a murderous look on her face.

"She left." Charles answers, staring out the window.

"Come on, let's get the motorcycle and go after her!" The redhead frowns when he makes no move to follow her. "Charles!"

"I let her go."

She scoffs incredulously.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

"Go after her if you want. Do whatever you want with her. But I won't be part of it."

She shakes her head, heading out the door.

As he hears her starting the motorcycle downstairs, his heart speeds up.

_**No.** _

He rushes down to the garage area.

"Anne!" His voice is urgent, rough, and she looks at her approaching leader over her shoulder, realizing he would try to stop her.

Her eyes narrow and she moves to speed out of the garage.

But he's faster.

She soon finds herself on the ground, the loud sound of the motorcycle falling and hitting the floor catching her by surprise.

"Are you fucking crazy?" She yells at him as he keeps her pinned to the ground, restraining her arms.

"You won't lay a finger on her. It's an order!"

"You're not my captain anymore!"

"No, but I'm still the leader."

"I won't give up on killing the cunt just because you're still in love with her!"

"If you kill her, there will be consequences. Her father will be pissed, Rogers will be pissed and he won't stop before he finds us! Do you want that for you, for Jack?"

She scoffs.

"As if that's the reason you stopped me. Even after everything she did, you still love her!"

"And what if I do? I ended things between us, for good. So it doesn't matter." He says, letting go of her arms and moving to get up, leaning against a column with a sigh.

Anne watches him, still on the floor, and her eyes soften a bit.

Now that the initial adrenaline and anger are passing, she finally stops to think about their newly recovered memories.

It's already giving her a headache, the memories of this life conflicting with the ones from the previous.

And she can see he feels the same.

He sighs, offering her his hand and she eyes it for a moment before accepting, letting him pull her to her feet.

The hug they share afterwards is filled with everything they can't put into words, two broken souls reuniting.

"You stood by us when no one else would. Thank you. It wasn't fair, what happened to you."

He shakes his head, pulling away from her and moving to the fallen motorcycle to check for any damage.

As he lifts it from the ground, a breathless Jack appears at the door of the garage, eyes wide, clearly preparing himself for the worst.

He looks around the place and sighs in relief.

"No dead body. That's a good sign."

Charles scoffs and Anne rolls her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Come here, you idiot." She says, starting to walk towards him.

Her partner smiles warmly, meeting her halfway and wrapping his arms around her.

Charles watches from the motorcycle while they share a brief kiss. His heart clenches as Eleanor comes to his mind.

Did he do the right thing?

"Yes, Charles. You did the right thing." He looks up at Jack in surprise as his accomplice watches him with a knowing look in his eyes.

"She would have destroyed you eventually. Again. You know that."

He scoffs.

"We should move away from here. Put some distance between the two of you. Just to be safe. And you know that now she will tell Rogers about us. We need to run while we still have the time." He says and Anne nods in agreement.

Their leader shakes his head.

"She won't say a thing."

Jack sighs. "Don't lie to yourself. Not again. Please."

"She won't, Jack. I know her. Better than anyone. I saw it in her eyes. She won't tell him. Trust me."

Jack lets go of Anne and walks to stand in front of their leader, hesitating for a moment before moving to hug him.

Charles accepts the hug, awkwardly, rolling his eyes at the soft chuckle that leaves Anne's lips.

"Well, look at this... The three of us wreaking havoc together again, after all these years. Must be some sort of curse to be stuck with you two, time after time." He says with a smirk, already knowing what their answer would be.

"Fuck you, Jack." Charles and Anne say in perfect unison.

* * *

A tear falls to her lap while Eleanor stares down at the blade in her shaking hands.

Her head hurts with the newly recovered memories, but it's nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

After coming back home, she stopped by her father's office, part of her hoping he had recovered his memories too.

But he merely glanced up at her while talking to someone on the phone, his expression blank as usual.

Now here she was, sitting in bed with the blade in her hands.

The blade she hadn't even thought about touching in months, ever since Charles had found her again.

But now...

She takes a shuddering breath, moving the blade to her exposed thighs, wanting to take her anger out on herself. This was all her fault anyway.

But just as she was about to cut, the door to her room opens and she looks up.

_Max._

Her friend stares at her from the door for a moment, her eyes filled with emotion.

"You... You remember too?" The blonde asks, her voice still shaky from all the crying.

"Oh, Eleanor." The other woman says, quickly walking over to her and taking the blade from her hands, throwing it to the floor before sitting down beside Eleanor and wrapping her into a hug.

"I was so worried about you. Thank God you're okay. I was scared, thinking Vane might have hurt you-"

"I kissed Rogers." She interrupts and her friend pulls away, an incredulous look in her eyes.

"You did what?! Have you not learned anything, Eleanor?"

"I just... Charles hates me..."

"Well, you have to admit he has a good reason."

"I know, but... It just  _hurts._ " She says, trying not to cry.

"I was beginning to... fall in love with him again, and-" A scoff from Max interrupts her. "What?"

"Oh please. You never stopped loving him. Even after everything that happened. You loved him until the moment of your death. Well, even after that, it seems."

"But now he hates me. I just can't, Max. I need to cling to what i have. My father. The Trading Company." She takes a deep breath. "Rogers."

"Fine. Go ahead." Max says, getting up from the bed and shaking her head. "Marry Rogers. Earn your father's fake love. And just spend your life watching pathetically while he and your husband run the Company." Anger is growing in Max's eyes as she speaks, each sentence sending dread and regret and pain through Eleanor. "Get pregnant! Have Rogers' babies. Stay home taking care of them and knitting while he manages the business that should be yours. Try pretending to be that docile housewife again, Eleanor. See where it will get you! Go ahead and lie to yourself. Spend the rest of your life sad and miserable, 'loving' a person you don't know and who doesn't know you, thinking of what could have been. Go ahead and destroy yourself again!"

The blonde sighs as silence reigns in the room again, looking down at her lap.

"Are you done?" She finally asks, and Max looks over at her, exhaling deeply.

"I know I'm being a little too harsh with you, but that's just because..." The woman heads over to the bed again, taking her friend's hands in hers. "...I love you. You are my friend, and I care about you. Please don't do this to yourself, Eleanor. I don't think I can watch you destroy yourself again. Please... Just don't."

The blonde sighs heavily, hiding her face in her hands. "I don't know if I'm sad or relieved that Rogers doesn't remember."

Max scoffs, sitting down beside her again. "Well, I am definitely relieved." A smile tugs at Eleanor's lips for a second. "So, I take it from your state, that you have already seen Vane after the memories came back?"

She nods. "I was with him when it happened. He..." She trails off, tears streaming down her face again. Max moves a reassuring hand to her shoulder.

"That bad, huh?"

"It was awful... He told me to run back to 'my precious governor', and I wanted to hurt him. I said I would do just that, and that I was glad I had Rogers."

Max shakes her head with an exasperated sigh.

"God, will you ever learn?! Why do you two need to be so fucking stubborn?"

"It doesn't matter. It's over, we're... over."

"If you two are finished, then I'm straight."

Eleanor shakes her head. "I mean it, Max. There's no going back. There's no way we'll be able to... make amends. And I don't want anything to do with him, anyway."

"Oh, I see. Is that why you can't stop crying, then? Why you were about to cut yourself when I arrived?"

The blonde sighs, hating herself for showing so much weakness.

"Whatever you do, please don't try saying you don't love Vane anymore. It's pathetic, really."

Eleanor frowns at her words, ready to protest, but her friend cuts her off.

"No, you listen to me. I have something to tell you. Something from long ago. Will you let me speak?"

Curiosity sparks inside her and she nods, keeping Max's gaze. The woman takes a deep breath.

"Okay... You see, back then... Three centuries ago, when you and I were, uh... 'together', you..."

"Just say it, Max." She snaps, impatient, and the other woman rolls her eyes.

"It was painfully obvious how much you still needed Vane, how much you loved him."

The blonde scoffs. "What the fuck do you mean?"

"Sometimes when we were together, I would wake up in the middle of the night to you tossing and turning in bed beside me, calling out his name repeatedly. You sounded so desperate it hurt. And sometimes you even cried. It broke my heart to see it." She finally blurts out the words, and Eleanor scowls, letting this new information sink in.

They sit there as minutes drag by, Max watching as Eleanor deals with the internal conflict caused by her revelation.

"Is this... Are you serious?" The blonde asks in a quiet voice, finally looking up to meet her friend's eyes.

"Why would I lie?"

"Why didn't you tell me back then? Why didn't you tell me that I called out for Vane in my sleep?"

The other woman sighs, shrugging. "Because I knew I couldn't. If I told you back then, you would have just shut me out. And I didn't want that."

The blonde takes a shuddering breath, looking down at her fingers.

"Can I give you some advice?" Max asks and she nods softly, apparently too exhausted to argue. "You already have a lot to handle. It will be rough for all of us, having to deal with all the conflicting memories. And you also have the feelings of guilt, the regret from your previous life. And _I know_  that you regret what you did to Vane, so don't even bother trying to convince me otherwise. But what I'm saying is; this is going to be really, really hard on you already. It will be hard for all of us, but you are the one who will suffer the most. So don't make it even worse by trying to fight and convince yourself that you don't love Vane anymore. This will only make you even more exhausted. Can you at least think about what I just said?"

She nods, trying really hard to keep her strong and cold façade. But as she sees the tender look on her friend's face, letting her know she's seeing right through her, Eleanor breaks.

Tears flow freely from her eyes as she throws herself in Max's arms, letting the other woman comfort her as she cried, shaking violently.

"I love him... I never stopped loving him, and now I lost him,  _again!_  It's all my fault, what have I done, Max? Why?"

"It's going to be okay, my dear. It's going to be just fine, you'll be okay... He just needs some time. He can't stay away from you for too long, we both know that."

"There's just too much darkness... Betrayals, it's too heavy... There's no going back. Oh God, the things I said to him the last time we talked. I called him an animal!" She shakes her head violently; regret spreading inside her like fire as she cried even harder.

"It breaks my heart to see you like this, Eleanor." Her friend says, caressing her hair. "I'm not saying you deserve this... But you made some wrong choices, and now you're finally paying for them. But listen to me, this pain won't last forever. I know it's hard, but you need to think about a brighter future." She says, her arms still around the crying blonde. "And also... We won't give up. I'll help you with Vane, alright? We'll go to the Demeter, we'll make sure he sees you again and again. He can't do anything to you in front of so many people. He won't be able to resist you for too long. You two are going to work things out, alright? I promise."

Her words do little to comfort Eleanor. She has no hope that Charles will forgive her.

It's impossible.

And the pain only gets worse when another thought suddenly comes to her mind.

"My mother..." She lets out a sob. "I didn't even get the chance to spend time with her in this life! I miss her so fucking much..."

Max squeezes her eyes shut as she tries to think of something to comfort the blonde. She knew this would come sooner or later.

Eleanor cries in Max's arms for almost an hour before finally calming down a little and pulling away, getting up from the bed and heading to the balcony's door, watching the sunset through the glass window.

"You know, maybe..." She begins to speak in a barely audible voice, touching the glass with her fingertips. "Maybe it's a good thing my mother's not here. She can't see how bad I screwed up."

Max sighs, getting up too and heading to stand just beside Eleanor. "I think she would have been proud. Really proud. To see the strong woman you've become."

As they watch the sunset in silence, a lone tear runs down Eleanor's face.

* * *

Charles eyes the blonde strand of hair in his hands. He found it on his pillow a few minutes ago, and it  _hurt._

It hurt like hell.

He misses her terribly already, and the criminal hates himself for it, but he's so worried about her.

He can't forget how sad and vulnerable she looked after their memories were recovered. It broke his heart.

And there was something else haunting him.

He thinks he saw regret in her eyes.

Pure, true regret.

Could it be? Was it even possible?

If it's true, then she's probably suffering like hell right now.

"Serves you right." He says in a quiet voice, trying to convince himself he actually means it.

She's probably back in Rogers' arms already. He shouldn't even be thinking about that traitorous witch.

Noise from outside the room reaches his ears and he frowns, getting up from his bed and heading for the door.

He's greeted with the sight of Anne preparing her knifes, dressed in black from head to toe.

And he's instantly alarmed.

"Where do you think you're going, Anne?"

She jumps slightly at the sound of his voice, turning around to face him with a scowl.

"I'm going to do what you should have already done a long time ago."

He clenches his jaw, making his way to her with heavy, purposeful steps, a menacing look in his eyes.

"You will not lay a finger on Eleanor!"

The redhead doesn't back down, keeping his gaze. "Yes, I will. I will kill her before she can fuck us over again. Before she can be your end again. You'll thank me one day." She turns her back to him, heading to the front door, and that instantly snaps him into action.

Quickly reaching her, Charles wraps his arm tightly around her neck in a choke hold.

As he applied more pressure using his biceps and forearms, she tried to fight him, but it was useless. In seconds, the redhead starts to stop resisting, and he waits until she goes completely limp, not letting her fall to the floor.

The criminal lifts her in his arms and carries her over to the couch, laying her unconscious body on it just as a confused Jack opens the curtain of the room.

"Charles? What the hell?" He asks, rushing to the couch to check up on Anne.

"She'll be fine. Don't worry." The trio's leader says, getting his leather jacket.

"Why did you do this? Where are you going? It's the middle of the night!"

"She was going to kill Eleanor. It would be a disaster for us, Jack. When she wakes up, make sure you keep her in here. But in case you fail, I'm heading over to the Guthrie mansion. I'll watch Eleanor's balcony during the nights from now on to make sure Anne won't do anything stupid."

Jack scoffs, still crouching in front of the couch, brushing some of the red hair away from Anne's face. "I don't believe for a second that your only reason for watching over Eleanor is to avoid trouble for us. So don't even bother lying to me."

Charles narrows his eyes at him. "Question me again, Jack."

His accomplice merely sighs, shaking his head and looking at his unconscious partner again.

"Good." Charles says, heading out the front door just as Anne begins to regain her consciousness.

* * *

She hates herself for it.

She really, really does.

But it's the only way she found to give herself some sort of comfort.

Eleanor stares at her reflection on the full length mirror, the oversized shirt reaching to her mid thighs.

It's Charles' shirt.

He had left it here one night.

Her heart clenches as she remembers. It was after a night he hadn't been able to come over. She had been plagued by nightmares, of course, and almost had a panic attack.

He was worried when she told him that, the following night.

So he left his shirt with her, hoping it would be enough to make her feel better.

_"Keep it. Maybe it will help keep the nightmares at bay when I'm not here."_

She heads over to the bed, opening the drawer of her bedside table to retrieve the two small pieces of paper she keeps in there.

His notes. From after he returned her knife.

And from after the first night he spent here in her room.

_"Wouldn't want to leave you unable to defend yourself. But really, learn how to use this thing._

_-C"_

_"Can't take the risk of staying after sunrise. See you around, Miss Guthrie."_

She brushes her fingers over his calligraphy softly, closing her eyes as a tear rolls down her cheek.

Fuck, she longs for his voice.

His hands on her body.

Just to think that she will never feel his touch again...

Eleanor clutches the notes to her chest, laying down in bed and curling herself into a ball while starting to cry again.

"What I'd do to have you here..." She whispers to the darkness of her room, her eyes glued to the balcony's glass door.

Hoping he would appear there at any moment, with that smug smirk of his, teasing her about something before coming over to the bed and kissing her until she was breathless.

But no matter how hard she wishes, there's no sign of him.

Of course not. She knows it's impossible.

But it still hurts.

_Where's the shooting star when I need it?_

A choked sob leaves her lips when she thinks about their moments under the stars, during that perfect weekend.

That small piece of paradise feels so distant now. Like a dream.

Just to think she will never lay her head on his chest again, never fall asleep to the sound of his breathing while feeling his hand drawing patterns on her naked back... It kills her.

It feels like hell, laying here without the soothing sound of his heartbeat to lull her to sleep.

Not even trying to fight against her tears anymore, Eleanor holds some of the shirt's fabric in her hand, bringing it up to her face and closing her eyes while inhaling deeply.

It still has his scent.

She prays it will never go away, because in this moment, the blonde feels as if it's the only thing keeping her sane.

Exhaustion soon begins to take her over as the result of today's events.

So Eleanor cries herself to a nightmare filled sleep, completely unaware of the long haired criminal watching her balcony closely from the shadows outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was painful to write. And let me reassure everyone, this will NOT turn into a Rogers/Eleanor story. Not a chance. I hate them together, but unfortunately, some… stuff will happen between them. It will be brief though, so yeah… Sorry? I will make up for it, promise! ;)


	26. The Letter

His scent is the first thing she registers as she starts to wake up.

Even though she knows it's just his shirt, Eleanor refuses to open her eyes, clinging to the hope that everything had been nothing but a nightmare.

Clinging to the hope that Charles is here in her bed.

She keeps her tired, sore eyes closed, starting to drift off into sleep again.

But noise comes from her phone, waking her up completely, and her heart skips a beat.

_Charles?_

Her hopes are crushed when she sees it was just a text from her father.

_"Come to my office, please. You are needed."_

The blonde rolls her eyes with a sigh. She really didn't want to face her father.

Not now.

But maybe this is just what she needs. Maybe, if she throws herself into her work, it will help keep her mind off Charles.

So she gets ready for the day, almost bursting into tears again the minute she takes the shirt off.

She simply feels so exposed without it.

_This is fucking ridiculous. Get a grip on your emotions. You don't need him._

With that thought, Eleanor lifts her chin and leaves her room.

* * *

Anne's plans of leaving the hideout unnoticed were frustrated when her partner emerged from their room, stopping on his tracks as he saw her getting ready to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" He asks, his tone cautious, and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm not going to the Guthrie mansion, if that's what you're asking. I know better than to go near that place during daytime."

"Okay, well... Where are you going then?" He asks again, but seeing the look in his eyes, Anne knows he already has a good guess.

And her silence is the only confirmation he needs.

He averts his eyes for a moment, looking around the hideout before meeting her gaze again.

Finally, Jack nods softly, forcing a reassuring smile and the redhead smiles back, a quiet "thanks" leaving her lips as she goes out the door, closing it behind her.

He sighs heavily after she leaves, rubbing his forehead.

_Some things never change._

* * *

Stopping the motorcycle in front of Max and Idelle's house, Charles takes off his helmet while the dark haired woman makes her way over to him with a smirk.

"Come on, say it already." She says, dark green eyes filled with pride.

"What do you mean?"

"I was right all along! About the reincarnation thing. No one believed me, but I was right."

He ignores her, lighting a cigarette.

"We are going to search for more people. There's someone I wanna find. Do you want to help? Your knowledge about this previous lives shit could be useful."

She nods. "Alright. Who are we looking for?"

The criminal blows out the smoke before glancing at her, his eyes filled with determination. "Blackbeard."

* * *

A smile comes to Max's lips as she sees the redhead leaning against the wall outside the gay club, wearing her signature brown leather jacket.

Earlier, the woman texted her, asking if she remembered and if they could meet.

Now here they are.

Her heart skips a beat as Anne looks her way, offering her a smile before pushing off from the wall and starting to walk towards her.

Max picks up her pace and meets her halfway, throwing her arms around her with a happy laugh.

"I missed you, Bonny." Her tone is playful and the other woman scoffs, pulling away from her with a rare, bright smile.

"Took us long enough, right?"

Max nods, tears coming to her eyes while the redhead pulls her into another hug.

"Oh, no. None of that. Everything's fine. We're reunited, we remember, and unlike  _some people,_ we have nothing to regret, no betrayals to tear us apart. Everything's okay."

She nods into the little brute's shoulder before pulling away, letting Anne wipe away the lone tear running down her cheek.

"So what now?" She asks and the other woman sighs, looking away.

"I think me and the guys are gonna leave."

Max frowns at her, shaking her head. "Wait, leave? Why, where?"

"Not right now. We'll wait for a while, make plans. We have much to do, Max. We talked about this briefly earlier today, Vane wants to find Teach, and... We just have a lot to do. We can't stay here. We don't belong in this city."

"Then where do you belong, Anne? On a ship in the middle of the ocean, risking your life every day? Away from safety?"

_Away from me?_

The redhead sighs, bringing her hands to Max's shoulders.

"Even if we leave, even if we travel to the other side of the world, I promise I will always come back to see you, alright?"

"I believe you... But what are you going to do, Anne? I know there's still pirates around nowadays, please tell me you won't go and join them."

The redhead scoffs with a sarcastic little smile. "Join them? Please. We'll get our own crew." She says with a wink and Max hits her shoulder lightly.

"You're not funny."

"I know you're worried, and I know you don't like this idea. But for now, we're not going anywhere, okay? So can we just enjoy our time together, you fucking annoying know-it-all?" She asks with a soft smile and Max sighs before giving up, smirking and leaning in to kiss her lips lovingly.

They immediately draw attention, receiving glares of disapproval from most people in the street.

But neither of them notice it, too lost in the joy of their reunion to care about the stupidity of the world.

* * *

She hates her father. She really, really does.

Walking inside the office, she immediately sees that Rogers is here too.

He gets up from the couch, staring at her silently.

"Are you ready to cooperate, Eleanor? Tell me the criminal's name?"

She scowls briefly before making her way over to him, Richard watching them closely from behind his desk.

"It doesn't matter anymore. We're finished."

The arrogant bastard raises an eyebrow at her. "You expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth. And I have something else to say." Her voice is quiet, lacking the usual strength. That ever present fire in her eyes is strangely absent too.

She looks like a shell of herself.

A robot.

"Oh? And what is it?"

"I... have been thinking about your... offer." She sounds as if she's just talking business, but neither of the men seem to notice just how destroyed she is inside.

However, they do perk up at her words, her father getting up from his chair and taking a step closer, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

"I have realized that a union between the two of us would bring many benefits to both sides, so I am willing to consider the idea now."

Silence reigns in the office for a moment, the men staring at her in silent disbelief. A sound of approval leaves her father as he makes his way over to them with a big smile on his face, clapping Rogers' back while bringing his other hand to his daughter's shoulder.

"Well, my future son in law! This is a happy day. We have lots to plan, and we need to set the date-"

"Father." Eleanor interrupts him, trying hard to ignore the panic growing inside her. "I said I was willing to  _consider_ the idea, not that the wedding will happen for sure."

Rogers finally shows a reaction, smiling and taking one of her hands in his.

"It's better than nothing, right? I just hope you're not doing this as some sort of revenge against your former lover."

Images flash through her mind, of him saying a similar sentence back on that ship. The guilt attacks her for a moment before she shakes her head, trying not to show weakness.

"I merely stopped to think about this. And I saw that I was being too stubborn. I don't like when people try to control me, so that's why I'm  _considering_  the idea of taking the reins of this situation and accepting your offer."

"Well, you have my word, my lady: If we do get married, I will never try to control you."

Her eyes narrow slightly but she gives him a soft nod before pulling her hand away from his and heading over to her father's desk, sitting down on his chair and opening the notebook.

"There's one thing, though." Rogers says and she looks up at him with questioning eyes. "I'm not naive, Eleanor. I know there's a chance you're just doing this to protect that criminal. So no, I am not going to give up on finding him, at least not until I'm sure that things between the two of you are truly over."

She clenches her jaw for a second, but then schools her face into a more neutral expression, shrugging slightly.

"Do whatever you want to him. I don't give a shit." She says, trying hard to keep her voice from breaking, and Richard gives her a look filled with warning.

"Language, Eleanor."

The blonde resists the urge of raising her middle finger while Rogers says his goodbyes to them before leaving the office.

Her father watches her closely for what feels like an eternity, and though on the outside she seems perfectly calm, her brain is already working on finding a way to keep Charles safe.

Even knowing he will never touch her again, she can't bear the thought of just watching his destruction once more.

Yes, she can be a wife. She can choose this path and the benefits it will bring her, but the mere thought of staying with Rogers while Charles is destroyed...

She can't do this.

_Not again._

It would be just too much to handle.

She needs to come up with a way to keep her Captain safe, and quick.

A fresh wave of pain surges through her chest at this thought.

_Her Captain?_

He's not hers.

She has no place in his heart now. He hates her.

And there's nothing she can do to change that.

* * *

Finishing another cigarette, Charles watches as Max makes her way back to the house, not really paying attention while Idelle talked about the people she wanted to find.

The other woman keeps his gaze, clearing her throat softly when she reaches the pair.

"Vane... A word?"

He clenches his jaw for a moment.

"If it's about  _her,_  forget it."He says gruffly and Idelle nods in approval.

"He's right, Max. Better not to mess with this. If they get back together, that witch will just destroy him again."

Max narrows her eyes at her friend. "Don't call her that. Remember she was your friend in this life before our memories came back."

The woman groans, bringing a hand to her forehead. "Fuck, it's so confusing. Does this happen to you guys too? The memories of this life conflicting with the ones from the past? I mean, I actually really liked Eleanor in this life. Honestly, I still do. Sort of. But at the same time, she disgusts me." She shakes her head, looking at Charles. "You should have seen her, after you died. She just stood there, all regal looking. It was sickening. Though I saw pain in her eyes, she refused to shed a tear. But while part of her was in pain, another part was clearly enjoying the sight of your dead body."

Max gives her a disapproving look while she shudders.

"Shit. I really wish I hadn't remembered it. The hanging. It was so awful." She says, eyeing the birthmark on the criminal's neck. "Did it hurt? What was it like?"

He simply raises an eyebrow at her, and Max sighs.

"Leave us, Idelle. Please. I need to talk to him."

Her friend scoffs, turning to walk back inside the house while pointing a finger at her.

"If he dies again, it will be your fault too!"

As the door closes and they are left alone on the sidewalk, Max gives him a soft smile. "So... How are you feeling?"

He looks at her face in disbelief, as if she had just grown a second head.

"Of all the things I was expecting you to say, this was not one of them."

She chuckles. "I saw Eleanor yesterday. I went to her room. Do you know what I found?"

He scoffs, looking away. "Rogers in her bed?"

She scowls at him for a second before continuing. "No. She was about to cut herself."

This causes him to look at her face immediately, and he tries hard to hide the concern in his eyes.

"I didn't let her. And... How can I put this? She was acting like a completely different person. She cried in my arms for almost an hour."

His traitorous heart clenches, and he tries desperately to cling to the hate and the anger.

"She regrets what she did to you, deeply. Maybe if the two of you talked-"

"There's nothing to talk about." He cuts her off, that animalistic anger flickering in his eyes. "We're over. I'm free from her, and it feels great."

"You're lying." Max says, watching his face closely.

"It doesn't matter if I'm lying. Nothing will change." He says, getting on the motorcycle before looking at her again. "I need you to do me a favor. Did you speak to Anne already?"

A smile tugs at her lips. "Yes. I saw her about an hour ago."

He nods. "Good. I need you to keep her distracted tonight."

"Why?"

"Last night she tried to go to the Guthrie mansion. She wants to kill Eleanor. I had to watch her balcony from the shadows the whole night to make sure Anne didn't do anything stupid. If she kills her, there will be big consequences for us. For Anne. I will watch her balcony every night to keep that from happening, but tonight I will be away."

Max frowns. "Where are you going?"

"To the cabin in the woods. I want to find Teach. And I think I can find some clues about him there."

She doesn't fail to notice the pain that flickers in his eyes as he speaks about the cabin, and hope sparks in her chest. Maybe going there and remembering the moments he and Eleanor spent together in their sanctuary will help melt some of the ice in his heart.

"That's why I need you to stay with Anne tonight and make sure she doesn't go to the mansion." He finishes and Max nods.

"Alright. And I will try to get this idea out of her head too. Not now, it's too soon and it will only make her angrier. But after a while, I'll slowly start to work on it."

He nods, and she sees the hesitation in his eyes.

With a soft smile, Max moves a reassuring hand to his arm, and he looks up at her. "Nothing will happen to Eleanor. Just go and do whatever you have to do. I will keep our stubborn queen safe during your absence. I promise."

He looks ready to retort, probably by saying he doesn't give a shit about her safety and her well-being.

But the look in Max's eyes tells him it's impossible to convince her of that, so he merely sighs, putting on his helmet before speeding off.

* * *

Coming to this place has never been so hard before.

Everywhere he looks, it reminds him of her.

Charles can still hear her happy laughter, see the way her eyes sparkled with pure glee.

It all feels so distant now. As if it had happened in another life.

Glancing at the pier, he sighs heavily before going inside the cabin, and it just hurts even more when he sees the bed.

It still looks just as they left it, the blankets are a mess, one of the pillows thrown to the floor. It's the proof of how they spent their last hours here, losing themselves in each other again and again.

He misses her.

Her sighs of pleasure echo through his mind and he shakes his head, trying to focus on what he came here to do.

His eyes settle on the spot where he had found the piece of paper the first time he was here, and as the criminal crouches down to examine it, the wood beneath him creaks.

Frowning, Charles brings his hands to the edges of the apparently loose floorboard.

With the right amount of strength, he lifts it, revealing a secret compartment containing a small box, covered in a thick layer of dust.

The criminal moves to sit on the bed, silently opening the box. There's a letter inside, the paper starting to yellow. It's clearly old.

But what catches his attention is the name written on it.

His name.

_"Charles: I do not know if you will ever find this letter, all I know is that I can't stay here anymore. And I do not know if you will ever recover your memories from the past either, so this may not make any sense to you at all. But let me tell you your story._

_My name is Edward Teach. I was the one who left you at the orphanage when you were a newborn._

_As I write this letter, you are seven years old. I'm sorry that I left you there, but I had no choice. You were born in the Caribbean; the woman who gave birth to you was my sister in this life. She was only 15, and your father disappeared after finding out she was pregnant._

_As her pregnancy progressed, I started to have strange dreams and she told me to seek help at a spiritist house._

_After having several regressions, I recovered the memories from my previous life, and a medium told me that the baby my sister was carrying was someone from my past coming back._

_And when you were born... The birthmark on your neck was the only clue I needed._

_The problem, Charles, is that I am involved with the black market, and I also am associated with Somali pirates. Therefore, I have many enemies. And six days after you were born, I came home to find my sister, your mom, dead. There were two people in the house, her killers, and they were about to hurt you too. I took their lives before they could reach your bassinet. But the thing is, they weren't alone. There were more of them, they had a leader._

_I wanted to keep you, to raise you as my own child. I really did._

_But you would never be safe._

_So I moved some strings with an old acquaintance and he helped us aboard a cruise ship._

_After traveling for days, by sea and by land, I finally got us to Los Angeles, where I left you at the orphanage. I stayed in the city for a few days, wanting to see if you were alright. Later on, I found this place. I built this cabin myself, and for a while I thought I could stay here. Even if it was four hours away from the city, I would be able to keep an eye on you._

_But now, after seven years, I received the news that my enemies are looking for me all over the country. I can't risk them finding me here, I'm too close to where you live. What if they find you too? So I'm leaving, I won't reveal where to, but if they end up finding me, it better be when I'm far away from you._

_I know that you will probably never find this place, this letter. I know that. But I just needed to write this. To make my mind lighter._

_And after everything I saw about previous lives, I know that fate is a powerful thing. So a small part of me still hopes that you'll somehow find your way here in the future and read this. So you can know that I didn't abandon you because you were unwanted. It was my only choice._

_I wish you all the luck, my nephew._

_And please, forgive me."_

He reads the letter again and again, the hours passing in a blur.

Charles has no idea what to think. His eyes search every inch of the paper, looking for a clue about where Teach went, a cryptic message, anything.

But there's nothing.

He clenches his jaw, getting up from the bed, frustration spreading inside him. This was a really big discovery, a step forward, but somehow, it just left him in the same place.

The letter was written 23 years ago. Teach could be anywhere in the world by now.

Well, assuming he was even still alive.

He said his enemies had been looking for him. What if...

_No._

Charles rubs his forehead with a heavy sigh as he walks around the cabin.

_The black market..._

That was probably his biggest clue. He still has no idea how he's going to find Teach with just this information, but still, it's better than nothing.

His eyes settle on the messy bed and the criminal feels a pang in his heart as another memory from that perfect weekend flashes through his mind.

For a moment, he can see Eleanor laying in the bed, under the blankets, her hair a wild mess while she reached out for him.

The bright, unguarded and genuine smile on her face was enough to illuminate even the darkest corners of his heart.

"Come back here. I'm cold." She had said, and her sleepy voice echoes through his mind.

He fucking loved that voice.

_Loves_  that voice.

Just to think he'll never hear it again...

He'll never wake up to the feel of her fingers grasping at his anchor necklace and drawing patterns on his chest again.

Never feel her legs wrapping around his hips while he moved inside her.

Never hear her sweet gasps and moans of pleasure.

He sighs while thinking about everything they had shared after finding each other in this life.

It was pretty amazing, honestly. To see her so similar and yet so different from the person she had been three centuries ago.

He had no doubt that her feelings for him had been true. And unlike the Eleanor from the past, she was actually starting to give in to the feelings, to listen to her heart.

She had chosen him instead of Abigail and her father that night. She had trusted him, allowed him to take care of her. She didn't push him away too much.

She didn't sell him out to Rogers.

She chose to leave her father and the Company behind to stay with him.

Maybe, if he was another person, this would have been enough for him to forgive her. Maybe they could have set things straight, burying the past behind them. They could have stayed together.

But... _Just_   _no._

He can't be that person.

Briefly, Charles worries about her safety and well-being during the nights. Was she having nightmares? Night terrors?

Probably.

Trying to ignore how concerned he feels, the criminal leaves the cabin, successfully focusing back on his anger.

"Screw it if you're having nightmares. You can just go to Rogers and ask him to comfort you."

* * *

The next afternoon, Eleanor sits behind her father's desk, taking care of business and trying to ignore how much her tired eyes are hurting.

Trying to keep Charles away from her mind. The urge of just going to him is so damn strong, but she knows she can't.

Would he really be able to bring himself to kill her?

The thought is so absurd, but a cruel voice sounds in her head.

_"Why not? You killed him, after all."_

Fuck, this  _hurts._

And the fear of not being able to find a way to keep Rogers from going after him only gets bigger each second.

Just as she feels ready to explode from all the tension, Eleanor suddenly catches sight of something different on her father's desk.

A portrait.

A portrait of a blonde, blue eyed woman.

Her mother.

Usually when she's sitting here, she keeps the portrait face down on the table, not able to bring herself to look at Caroline's face.

It hurt too much, and Eleanor did not want to deal with that.

She was probably just 6 years old the last time she had looked at a picture of her dead mother.

By now, the action was pretty much automatic, every time she sat down behind her father's desk, she would turn the portrait face down to avoid seeing Caroline and her gentle smile.

But for some reason, this time she forgot.

And as she stares at her mother's face with a frown, something clicks in her mind.

Now that she remembers what Caroline looked like from her previous life, now that she had seen her portrait again, now that her mother's face was not just a blurry, distant image from her childhood...

Realization dawns on her.

A choked sob leaves her lips while she gets her phone to text someone, leaving her father's office in a hurry.

* * *

Cora stares down at her phone, a smile tugging at her lips while she reads the text Eleanor had just sent her.

_"I remember everything. Meet me at the Andromache. Please. We need to talk."_

She raises from the couch abruptly, startling the other medium she shares the house with as she makes her way to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Her housemate asks and Cora turns around with a bright smile, eyes filled with tears and emotion.

"To see my daughter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confused? I know.
> 
> But everything will be explained in the next chapter!


	27. Mother Love

_**14 years ago** _

_The nine year old girl stares down at her bruised knee with a scowl. Why did she have to trip over that stupid rock? Now Mr. Scott would be even angrier when he found her._

_And even though she refuses to cry, her knee is hurting like hell, blood starting to trail down her skin._

_Just as Eleanor starts to look around, trying to find something she could use to clean the bruise, the sound of twigs breaking catches her attention._

_Expecting to see Mr. Scott, the child frowns in confusion when she looks up and finds a strange man staring down at her, with his weirdly familiar reddish beard and blue eyes, a water bottle in one of his hands._

_"Hi, little one. Do you need help?" He asks, awkwardly. This man definitely has no experience with children._

_But luckily for him, she's unlike any other child._

_Eleanor lifts her chin at him._

_"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."_

_The awkwardness fades away instantly as he sees her sassy, tough attitude. A smirk comes to his face and he raises his eyebrows at her. "Well, you're already talking to me, aren't you?" He says, offering her his hand, his smirk widening when she rolls her eyes._

_But she lets him help her to her feet before making her way to sit on the bench nearby._

_The mysterious man looks around in concern before joining her. "Are you alone in this park, little one?"_

_She scoffs. "Stop calling me that. My name is Eleanor, and no, I am not alone. I came here with the man who watches over me sometimes, but he was talking too much, so I just ran off. He will find me soon though, so if you're thinking about kidnapping me, forget it."_

_He raises an eyebrow, chuckling at this display of courage from such a young child._

_Pride flickers in his eyes before they settle on her bruised knee._

_"Ouch. Does it hurt?"_

_She shrugs, not wanting to show weakness. "I've had worse."_

_He pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket, opening the bottle of water he had brought with him._

_"I'll clean it up for you, alright?" He asks, bringing the now wet fabric to her knee and she nods, biting her lip to keep herself from whimpering while he cleans the bruise. "There. You see? It's not so bad." He says with a soft smile and she rolls her eyes._

_"I never said it was bad. Nothing I can't handle."_

_He frowns, though his eyes are still glinting with pride._

_"You're pretty hardened for a nine year old, aren't you?"_

_She looks up at his face with a scowl. "How do you know my age?"_

_It only takes him half a second to think of a good answer._

_"Well, you're... Richard Guthrie's daughter, a lot of people know your age."_

_She watches him suspiciously for a moment before nodding and looking back down to her knee, seemingly satisfied._

_He watches her closely, unable to stop the question that tumbles from his lips._

_"Are you happy, Eleanor? Are you okay?"_

_"What?" She asks with an adorable little frown._

_"In your life, I mean. Is everything okay? You seem... Tired. Haunted. Is there something bothering you?"_

_The little girl looks away, biting her lip, and he notices the tears that are gathering in her eyes, though she's quick to hide them._

_Something tells her she can trust this man._

_"I just... Have nightmares. Almost every night."_

_"What kind of nightmares?"_

_"I see a man being hanged."_

_He watches her with a knowing look in his eyes, nodding softly. "Of course you do."_

_"Who are you?" She asks him, just as Mr. Scott's voice starts to reach their ears, calling her name._

_The man gets up from the bench. "Maybe you'll find out one day, Eleanor. But for now, let's just say I am a... friend."_

_He gives her a weak smile before walking away._

_And as the years pass, Eleanor doesn't forget about this strange encounter at the park._

_It's a shame, though, that the man's face eventually becomes nothing but a blurry image in her mind._

* * *

**Present days**

Every time Eleanor sees the door of the restaurant opening, her heart skips a beat and she lifts her chin, moving nervously in her seat.

But when she sees it's not the medium coming in, disappointment spreads in her chest.

A mix of disappointment and relief, actually.

Is she ready for this?

_No._

But she needs to know what the hell is going on.

Even if it scares her to death.

A slightly overweight man passes by her table, heading for the door, and she pays him no mind at first.

But soon, the blonde recognizes the way he walks and his bald head.

Her eyes widen, and Eleanor raises from her seat abruptly, going after him while he leaves the restaurant.

"Mr. Gates!" She calls out as she follows him out the door and he stops in his tracks, turning around, a frown coming to his face as the blonde makes her way over to him.

"My apologies, Miss, but... do I know you?"

_Shit. No memories._

"Um, sorry, just... Can you answer one question? Do you know anyone named Flint?"

He thinks for a moment before shaking his head, watching her as if she was crazy.

"No, I don't think so. Sorry, Miss. Have a good day."

Her heart sinks, all the hope she had felt mere seconds ago vanishing in the air.

Vanishing... Just like the smoke from Charles' cigars.

_Stop thinking about him._

Eleanor lets out a shuddering breath. She had been so hopeful, thinking Gates could have led her to Flint.

But now here she was, feeling even more lost, and alone, and...

"Eleanor..." A voice sounds from behind her, filled with emotion, and her heart almost stops.

Turning around slowly, she takes in the sight of the woman a few feet away from her.

Cora -  _Caroline_  - has a smile on her face, her eyes filled with tears as she watches her for a moment, neither of them moving.

"So it's true..." Eleanor manages to say, a frown on her face as she tries to keep her emotions hidden, unlike her clearly emotional mother.

The woman lets out a brief laugh before starting to walk towards her, arms already reaching in her direction as her eyes take in the sight of her long lost daughter.

Eleanor doesn't take a single step towards her, simply watching her face with a confused frown, though tears are starting to gather in her eyes against her will while the other woman finally stops in front of her.

Tears roll down Caroline's cheeks as she smiles at her daughter, holding her face in her gloved hands before closing her eyes and pulling her into a hug, one hand cradling the back of her head protectively.

The blonde's arms shake slightly as she hesitantly brings them up to return the hug, her tough façade and her walls crumbling down as she feels the familiar embrace she had missed so fucking much.

A sob leaves her lips when she fully hugs Caroline, closing her eyes, her tears finally flowing freely.

"It's okay, my baby... Your mother's here..." The other woman says softly, caressing her hair lovingly.

She wants to give in. She's in such a fragile state, she really wants to give in and just let her mother comfort her.

But her walls are already starting to come back up and she pulls away from Caroline with a soft scowl while doubts and hurtful thoughts invade her mind, the other woman watching her face closely, taking in every tiny detail now that she could stare.

"Look at you, my perfect baby girl... Oh, you're so beautiful..."

Eleanor shakes her head, taking a step back before raising her chin at Caroline.

"Why? Why did you leave me with him? Didn't you want me?"

Her mother frowns in confusion for a moment before understanding, immediately reaching to take one of her hands in hers.

"Oh no, sweetheart, you got it all wrong, I didn't leave you."

The blonde pulls her hand free from her grasp, shaking her head. "I think... this was a mistake, I need to go home, father is waiting for me and he needs my help-"

Caroline grabs her arm as she starts to turn around. "We need to talk."

"I don't wanna talk!"

"But I do! Richard can wait, I can't. You are my daughter. I want to talk to you."

A smile comes to her face as she continues. "Ever since you went to the spiritist house for the first time I've been longing to talk to you like this. We may have had conversations before, but you didn't know you were my daughter, and now you do, so... Please, let's talk."

Eleanor watches her for a moment before sighing with a slight nod. "Okay... What do you want to talk about?"

* * *

A smile comes to Max's face as she watches the redhead getting ready to leave.

Last night she said she would leave in the morning, but things got a little bit out of hand.

And judging by the puppy eyes Anne was getting from the other woman, they would be here for a few more hours if Max had it her way.

"Jack will be pissed." Anne says with a smirk, putting on the signature brown leather jacket.

"He probably is already, so what's the harm? Come on. Just another hour."

The redhead almost gives in, but her phone ringing on the dresser nearby stops her from making any other move.

"What?" She asks gruffly and there's silence for a moment before Jack responds. "Sorry darling, need you back at the hideout. Charles found something important."

She sighs, glancing back at Max.

"I'm on my way."

* * *

They ended up going to the very same park where Eleanor had bruised her knee while running from Mr. Scott all those years ago. Somewhere along the way, Caroline had discarded her contacts, so now every time Eleanor glanced at her, she would find the familiar pair of blue-green eyes staring back at her.

This feels so weird.

"Okay... So where do we start?" Her mother asks as they sit down on a bench and the blonde scoffs.

"How about from the beginning? When you fled after I was born, somehow faking your own death to leave me alone with a father who never gave a shit about my well being?"

Caroline shakes her head with a sigh. "You got it all wrong, sweetheart. I didn't fake my death, it actually happened."

"Oh, so you're saying you're some sort of zombie, or vampire? Now everything makes perfect sense, thank you so much for clearing that up." Eleanor says in a sarcastic tone, moving to get up from the bench. But the other woman grabs a hold of her arm, keeping her from leaving.

"Will you let me explain?"

The blonde sighs, crossing her arms and staring at the tree in front of her with a scowl.

A soft smile plays in Caroline's lips. Her daughter looks so much like a young child in this moment.

"You see... Everyone who comes back, comes with a mission. A mission to right the wrongs of the past. You, Vane, your father, Scott... Everyone. Richard's mission was to be a better father. That's why I died while giving birth to you. That was his test. He had the chance to be a good father this time, but instead, he was weak and chose the wrong path again, blaming you for my death. He failed the test. And as a result of that, I was sent back right away as a medium, remembering everything, because it was my mission to guide you during this turbulent time."

Eleanor finally looks her way, trying to understand everything she was saying.

"So basically, you reincarnated shortly after your death? Just so you could help me? But what about the stuff I hear about that whole karma bullshit? About how fate always works in a way to make justice happen? This story of yours hardly sounds fair to me. You, having to go through so much, just to be able to guide me?"

Caroline smiles softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"I'm what they call an evolved spirit. I help others. And I love it."

The blonde scoffs at that.

"If you're so evolved, then why? Madi told me about what you do, you help people everyday, your spiritual gifts have a huge impact on you, to the point that you look years older than you really are... It has an impact on your health! That's just... It's not fair!"

"It is hard for people to understand what we do, Eleanor. All I can say is... I don't regret any of it. This is my mission. And there are more people like me. Have you ever heard of a man called Chico Xavier?"

The blonde shakes her head, still scowling, and Caroline continues. "He was a great medium who lived in Brazil. His mother died when he was young, but for years, he kept telling people that he talked to her spirit. Eventually, his sister started having mental disturbances, caused by spiritual sources known as 'obsession'. So he used his gifts to help her. After that, he started to learn more about spiritism, reading Kardec's doctrine-"

Eleanor shakes her head, her face filled with confusion. "Wait, who's Kardec? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's hard to understand at first, sweetheart, I know. Kardec was the French author and educator who is known in history today as the founder of spiritism. But as I was saying, Xavier became widely known in Brazil. He had a benevolent spirit who guided him, and several deceased poets started to manifest themselves through him. The medium soon started to publish a lot of psychographic messages. Basically, he allowed the spirits of the deceased to use him as a channel, to send messages to the loved ones they left behind, to help them."

"What about his guide?" Eleanor asks and her mother smiles, happy that she was not trying to run away, or saying she was crazy.

"Emmanuel. His mentor. He informed him of his mission to psychograph a sequence of thirty books. As time went on, it was revealed to the medium that his mentor had once been the Roman senator Publius Lentulus. Then in another life, he came back as a slave."

The blonde nods, thinking about everything Caroline was telling her.

"What happened to Xavier?" She finally asks and her mother sighs with a soft, loving smile.

"He died at the age of 92. Due to a cardio respiratory arrest, back in 2002. Shortly before his death, he told some of his friends and relatives about his last request. He asked God to take him away in a happy day, a day in which the Brazilian people were in a state of pure glee, the country under a celebration of some kind. So no one would be sad about his death. And his wish was granted. When Xavier died, Brazil was celebrating the conquest of the 2002 FIFA World Cup."

Eleanor is silent, shaking her head slightly. But she has to admit, the story she just heard did send a shiver down her spine.

"People like Xavier, like me... Like John of God, another powerful medium who serves as a healer in Brazil... That's what we do. It's our mission. To help people. It's not unfair, sweetie. I'm really happy and honored to do what I do." Caroline says with a reassuring voice, reaching to take the blonde's hands in hers.

Eleanor feels a pang in her heart as a thought comes to her mind.

"So... You're not my mother. Not anymore."

The other woman shakes her head with a brief laugh. "Well, that depends on how you see things. Family ties go beyond blood, Eleanor. I may not be your biological mother anymore, but our souls are tied together to the point that I was sent back immediately to help you when it became clear that Richard wouldn't be a good father. That has to mean something, don't you think? I still see you as my daughter. I still love you as my daughter. And I just hope you will allow yourself to see me as your mother too."

At this point, tears are already flowing from Eleanor's eyes against her will, and with a shuddering breath, the blonde throws herself into her mother's arms, hoping she would understand this silent answer to the last thing she had said.

And of course she does.

Caroline brings her hands to her daughter's blonde locks, taking a deep breath as her own tears roll down her cheeks.

After three long centuries, she finally has her baby girl in her arms again.

* * *

Back at the hideout, the criminal trio stands around the table, staring down at the letter Charles had brought from the cabin.

"So what are your plans now?" Jack asks, glancing at their leader as he lights a cigarette.

"I need to know if he's alive. But I have no idea where to start looking."

Anne takes the letter in her hands, reading it again with a frown while the men watched her in silence.

"Somali pirates. He said he was associated with them. What if that's still the case?"

Jack shakes his head. "We can't really just go and ask them."

"Of course not, idiot. We need a plan." Anne says, letting the letter drop back down to the table.

"We need a ship. If we're gonna leave, I think we all agree that a ship is the best choice for us to travel." Her partner says and she nods in agreement.

But their leader doesn't say a word, simply keeps staring down at the table while smoking.

"Charles?" Jack asks, causing him to glance up at him. "We could get a small sailing ship. Or steal one, whatever you two prefer." He gestures between Anne and Charles, but the criminal shakes his head.

"We're not going anywhere."

His accomplices share a confused look before focusing back on him.

"What do you mean? I thought you wanted to find Teach?"

"I do. But not right now. We can't. We have a lot to plan, research to do-"

"Research my ass." Anne interrupts him with a scoff. "What are you afraid of? Leaving here and then coming back to find the cunt married to Rogers? Because we all know full well it's gonna happen, whether you're around or not."

Charles clenches his jaw while Jack lets out an exasperated sigh.

"My decision to stay here for now has absolutely nothing to do with Eleanor. She can marry that piece of shit tomorrow, I don't give a damn about her anymore. But we need to make plans, or else we're doomed to fail. We have no idea what we're gonna find when we leave the country. So we need to prepare ourselves the best way we can."

His accomplices stare at him for a moment, seeing that he was saying the truth about the planning part. But they also could see right through him when he said he didn't care about Eleanor anymore.

Anne scoffs, shaking her head and heading to her and Jack's room. The redhead emerges from behind the curtain just a few seconds later, holding her robber's mask in one hand while throwing Jack his own.

"Come on. I need some action, or I'm gonna kill someone."

Her partner throws Charles a glance before sighing heavily and following her out the door.

* * *

After calming down, Eleanor stared down at her lap, eyes filled with sadness while Caroline waited patiently; wanting to see if the blonde would tell her what was bothering her so much.

"There's something that just doesn't leave me alone." She finally says with a shake of her head. "Three centuries ago, when I betrayed him at that fort... It was the mistake that started all that hell... And I regret it deeply. Then in this life, shortly before we got our memories back, almost the exact same situation happened. He asked me to stay with him, to leave it all behind so we could be free, together... and I was so fucking scared, but I said yes. I choose him. I fixed this mistake from my past, but then... we remembered everything. Why?" She asks, looking up at her mother's face, her eyes glinting with unshed tears. "Why now? Why did we have to remember right after I made that decision? When we were finally ready to stay together after three centuries? You have no idea just how much this hurts!"

Caroline offers her a weak, sad smile. "That's karma, sweetheart. It's just how it works."

Eleanor sighs, her eyes filled with sadness.

She's opening up to her, letting her walls down, and Caroline listens in silence.

"Now Rogers is after him. He'll be found, and it's all my fault, just like the last time."

"No, listen to me. You can protect Charles. You need to call Abigail and tell her you won't see him again. But careful, don't say his name. Just say you realized he's not good for you and that you ended things with him."

"Why?"

"That idiot you married three centuries ago is waiting to intercept the next call you have with Abigail. To see if you'll say anything about Charles. Go on. This way he will give up on his search for the Captain."

"How do you know he'll intercept the call?"

"Did you forget your mother is a powerful medium now?"

Eleanor stares at her face for a moment before pulling out her cell phone and dialing a number, eyes filled with determination.

"Abigail? Yes, it's me. Look, I just wanted to say that I forgive you, okay? You're too young, and with three grown man pressuring you, of course you would break. So don't worry. I don't blame you for what happened."

Mother and daughter watch each other in silence while the girl replies on the other side of the line.

"No, you didn't cause trouble for me. I actually ended things with him the same day. I saw that our relationship wasn't going anywhere, and that it would only cause problems for me. So we're over. And it's not your fault, alright? I have business to take care of now, so we can meet some other time, okay? Bye Abbie."

She ends the call, trying to hold back the tears.

Saying out loud that Charles and her were finished had been harder than she expected.

Even more because it was the truth.

Caroline notices, holding her hands again.

"Tell me where to find him."

Eleanor looks up at her face with a frown. "Who?"

"Vane. I want to have a little word with him. I promise I won't say that you helped me to find him."

Eleanor shakes her head with a scowl. "Why do you want to see him? He's dangerous; do you have an idea what he can do to you if you anger him?"

Her mother chuckles. "He won't lay a finger on me."

"How can you be so sure about that?"

Caroline smiles at her. "You see... Back when I was pregnant with you, I convinced Richard to donate a generous amount of money to the orphanage. I was three weeks away from having my baby, and this sad thought suddenly came to me. You would have a mother and a father, a home. But what about all those children, alone in the world, trapped in the orphanage? So I decided to go spend a day giving them some love and attention. Even though there was a storm raging outside, we spent hours playing inside. All the kids adored me, they stayed close to me at all times. Well, except for one." Caroline smirks at her daughter and realization dawns on her, a shiver going down her spine at this display of how powerful fate is while her mother continued her story. "He was a hardened, tough looking seven year old boy, with a birthmark on his neck, cold blue eyes and a necklace with an anchor pendant."

"You... You met Charles. While I was in your womb?" Her voice is quiet, a frown refusing to leave her face, and her mother lets out a brief laugh.

"Intertwined fates, Eleanor. Connected souls. 'Soul mates', as some people say. That's what you and Charles are, even if you two stubborn children refuse to admit it. But the proof is right before your eyes. That day at the orphanage, I was able to talk to him for a while, and then you started moving in my stomach... reaching for him. It creeped him out and he immediately moved away."

Eleanor can't help but chuckle at that, tears burning in her eyes.

"Then I convinced him to feel my stomach. He did, and you kicked at the same second, right where his hand was. He said that no other kid would ever dare doing something like that."

By now, tears are rolling down her cheeks and Eleanor looks away to hide them, getting a grip on her emotions before finally speaking in a quiet voice.

"You call this fate. I call it a big coincidence."

* * *

The woman opens her eyes slowly to the dark warehouse. Her wrists are still chained to the wall, ankles bound together.

But as she looks around the place, panic rises in her chest when she notices there's something different.

The girl. She's gone.

She desperately tries to call out for her, but the gag in her mouth makes it impossible.

There's nothing she can do right now, except wait for her two captors to come back.

They would give her some answers. Or else she swears she will find a way to kill them.

_Fucking monsters._

* * *

Night falls outside as Charles takes a drink from the rum bottle while reading Teach's letter for what feels like the 100th time.

Jack and Anne aren't back yet, so the hideout is pleasantly silent.

But the peace is broken when there's a knock at the front door.

The criminal looks up at it with a frown, retrieving his gun before cautiously making his way over to it.

But all the tension in his body fades away when he opens the door and sees the woman outside.

He frowns, staring at her weirdly familiar face.

Suddenly, a deeply buried memory resurfaces, of Mrs. Guthrie talking to him back at the orphanage.

"Caroline?"

She smiles. "Hello, Charles. You've grown up. Can I come in?"

He takes a step back, letting her inside the hideout before closing and locking the door behind him, scoffing when he realizes that his fate was even more intertwined with Eleanor's than he initially thought. She had been thrown into his path, even when she was still just an unborn baby in her mother's womb.

_Talk about destiny._  A voice says in his head, but he pushes the thought away.

They settle on the couch and he clears his throat.

"If you came here to talk about your daughter, then-"

"I didn't come here to try and push you back towards Eleanor, no. You will need to make that decision on your own."

He shakes his head. "There's no chance I'll go back to that traitorous-" His words are cut off when Caroline pinches his arm, hard. He begins to growl at her in warning, but somehow the look on her face makes him stay put.

It's that stern, "no discussion" look that only mothers can muster, but there's something else in her eyes.

A determined glint, that says she's not afraid of him.

Just like her daughter.

"Watch your words, Captain Vane. I'm aware she betrayed you, but she's still my daughter. And you're not exactly innocent in this whole story either. Both of you made mistakes."

"She started it!" He frowns, realizing he really sounds like a child trying to defend himself after receiving a reprimand.

"I don't want to know who started it! It's in the past, and you two need to let it go. You love each other, and she's miserable without you. She needs you, Charles."

"Does she? Well, she should've thought about that before stabbing me in the back."

"You killed Richard! She was blind with grief. And Eleanor regrets everything she did. But there's a chance she will make the same mistakes again and destroy herself if you don't help her. She deserves a second chance."

He scoffs, getting up from the couch. "Oh, she had a second chance! And a third, and a fourth! I won't fall for the same trap again." He heads to the window, looking out with a sigh before turning around to face Caroline again.

"I won't lie. I love your daughter. I fucking love her. Just like I did three centuries ago. I loved her more than anything, and she betrayed me. And now, three hundred years later, I still love her with all my heart. But I won't do this to myself again. Eleanor and I are finished. It's over. And nothing will make me change my mind."

Silence reigns for a moment before the criminal frowns, eyeing the woman suspiciously. "How? I thought you were dead."

"I was. For a short while. It was a test for Richard. His chance to redeem himself and be a better father for Eleanor. But he threw this chance away, and I was sent back so I could guide her in this moment."

He scoffs, turning around to look out the window again.

"Good luck with that. She will probably repeat the same mistakes all over again."

"That's why I'm here, Charles. To help her."

"Then I suggest you do it before she pushes you away, like she does with everyone else who shows her love. Well, honest love at least. She seems perfectly fine with accepting the governor's lies and pretending to be something she's not just so he'll keep her by his side."

Anger is clear in his voice and Caroline frowns in concern at his words.

"That's my main concern. Keeping her away from that man. Do you think you could..."

He turns around with a growl, getting his leather jacket and helmet.

"You won't have any sort of assistance from me. I won't move a finger to help Eleanor." He says, moving to the front door, and she follows him.

Soon, they are walking out of the garage area, Charles getting on the motorcycle while Caroline watches him with a neutral expression.

"There's stuff I gotta do. Good luck with your daughter." Is all he says before starting the motorcycle and riding away.

His emotions are conflicted, to say the least.

It seem as if the universe is trying to push him and Eleanor towards each other again.

_Like always._

He wishes fate would just leave them alone.

It already hurts too much to stay away from her without people trying to bring them back together.

_First Max, now her mother?_

He must be paying for all his sins right now.

When he notices it, he's already stopping the motorcycle in the usual secluded spot, watching Eleanor's balcony from the shadows.

The lights are on in her room and his heart speeds up when he sees her opening the glass door to stare out at the sky.

Unable to resist, he gets his binocular to get a closer look, mentally kicking himself for it while at the same time enjoying the sight of her.

But if his emotions were already conflicted before, now it's even worse.

She's wearing his shirt.

And the sad, lost look on her face is enough to make the ice on his heart melt away, even if it's just for a second.

He still expects Rogers to step out on the balcony any second, wrapping his arms around her from behind before dragging her back inside the room.

But it doesn't happen.

She just stays there, alone, watching the stars.

He sees her saying something to the sky, before a lone tear runs down her cheek and Eleanor turns around to go back inside, closing the glass door behind her.

She doesn't lock the door.

Maybe in hopes he will come in the middle of the night?

Only after the lights go out in her room, Charles puts the binocular away, rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

His heart and every muscle of his body are urging him to go to her.

But his brain wins.

So the criminal leans back against the tree, watching over her balcony like a guardian angel and trying to ignore the urge of going to her room, laying down beside her and holding her in his arms.

Letting her fall asleep to the sound of his heartbeat while he caressed her back, happy to keep her nightmares away.

But Charles stays put, focusing on watching the mansion.

Even if he can't keep her safe from her nightmares anymore, he will keep her alive. He will protect her.

Because as much as he's lying to himself, deep down he knows: Eleanor Guthrie still has his heart on the palm of her hand, and he will die before he lets anything happen to her.


	28. Broken Hearts Are Dry

_The coin in his fingers sparkles as the sunlight filters through the window, catching Eleanor's attention and distracting her from her work._

_She sighs heavily, hoping it will be enough for him to get the message._

_But of course it isn't._

_So the blonde looks up with an angry scowl, finding the pirate watching her, a smirk tugging at his lips._

_"Is there something you need?" He asks, clearly enjoying this, and she scoffs._

_"Yes. I need you to stop playing with that stupid coin."_

_"Why?"_

_"It's fucking annoying, and I can't concentrate." She lies. It doesn't let her concentrate, yes, but not because she finds it annoying._

_It drives her crazy, every time she sees him with that coin, doing that **thing** , these skilled fingers moving so easily._

_She presses her thighs together and the bastard gets up, walking around the desk, her heart skipping a beat when he stops inches from her chair._

_"You're lying."_

_She gets to her feet with an incredulous look in her eyes, trying to push him away. "You're impossible. Get out. You're keeping me from making any progress today."_

_He refuses to move. Instead, he pushes her against the desk, his hands coming to rest on its surface on either sides of her body, effectively trapping her._

_"What the fuck? Get out, I need to take care of this stuff-"_

_"And I think you need to relax." He cuts her off, leaning closer, satisfied when she doesn't try to resist further._

_The blonde glances down at his lips, chest heaving. And he finally closes the small distance between them, kissing her while she slowly moves her hands to his hair._

_He pushes her against the desk again, this time helping her sit on the edge of it and stepping between her thighs, hands leaving her waist to lift her skirts to her knees._

_As the air hits the now exposed skin of her legs, she breaks the kiss, looking around briefly with wide eyes before meeting his intense gaze again._

_"What if-"_

_"Shh." He cuts her off, moving his lips to her neck while his hands on her lower back pulled her closer._

_Her eyes fall closed while he kisses his way to her collarbones, reaching the buttons on the front of her blouse._ _A curse leaves her lips when he opens the first one using his teeth, heat traveling through her body, her hands tightening in his hair._

_He soon has all the buttons undone, one warm hand finding her right breast and squeezing it firmly._ _A gasp escapes her and she opens her eyes, glancing over her shoulder at the big double doors behind them._

_His teeth tug at her earlobe, that grave voice speaking in her ear._

_"You locked them. Relax."_

_His voice should definitely be illegal._

_Her whole body feels as if it's on fire and she nods slightly before kissing him again, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to push him away at this point._

_Her legs wrap around his hips, urging him impossibly closer and he brings his hands to her thighs, pulling her skirts even higher until her legs are completely exposed._

_He breaks their kiss, satisfied to see her so breathless before giving her a half smirk, his hand traveling down her stomach._

_"You said it was annoying you, seeing me with the coin... Maybe because you wanted my fingers somewhere else?"_

_Her eyes fall closed and she gasps sharply when his hand reaches its destination, two fingers easily slipping inside her and repeating the movements from earlier._

_Her worries about someone seeing them like this are slowly being forgotten, the pirate biting at the skin of her neck before bringing his lips to her ear while she tries her best not to make too much noise. Mr. Scott was right outside the door._

_"That's it. Now every damn time you see me playing with the coin, you will remember this. Remember this feeling. Remember what I'm doing to you here, in your father's desk."_

_His fingers pick up their pace with each sentence and she has to drop her head to his shoulder before biting his neck to keep herself from moaning too loud._

_But then the bastard pulls away, his fingers still inside her, and she watches in delight, anticipation and horror as he drops to his knees, giving her a smirk before burying his face between her thighs, that talented tongue intensifying her pleasure._

_The blonde tries covering her mouth with one hand and for a while it works, she's able to keep herself from making too much noise, but as he doubles his efforts, determined to make her lose control, the hand covering her mouth quickly drops to his hair._

_She throws her head back, any thoughts about Mr. Scott hearing anything flying out the window as nonsense tumbled from her lips._

_"Charles..."_

_So close._

_So fucking close._

"Charles!" Eleanor gasps sharply, shooting up in bed.

Her brain is foggy with confusion as she looks around her room with a frown, trying hard to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.

It takes her a few seconds to understand that she had been just dreaming.

Dreaming about a wonderful afternoon at the tavern. It may have gotten her into big trouble with Mr. Scott, but it was worth it.

_So worth it._

Tears burn in her eyes as she remembers that day. The dream had been so clear, with all the details, and she could still feel his touch...

Why did she have to wake up so soon? It hadn't been her alarm clock, it's Saturday and she was allowing herself to sleep in today.

Her eyes settle on her phone and she realizes that she had received a text.

There. That's what woke her up. And anger spreads in her chest when she reads the message Rogers had sent her.

_"I was wondering if my possible future bride would want to join me for dinner tonight? There's much we need to talk about."_

She clenches her jaw, turning the phone off before laying back down.

The first nice dream she had in weeks, a perfect,  _perfect_  dream... and that idiot had to ruin everything.

"I hate you so fucking much, Woodes." Eleanor says quietly to the darkness of the room, desire still flowing through her veins, her skin covered in goosebumps.

Even in dreams, Charles has that effect on her. And it's so damn frustrating.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get any more sleep now, the blonde heads to her bathroom, surprised to see how flushed her face still is, her heart beating wildly.

With a groan, she undresses and steps into the shower. It feels like her body is longing for his touch, desperate, like she's some sort of crackhead in rehab.

But she knows deep down, that that this is an addiction she will never be free from.

She couldn't do it in her past life, after his death.

And she sure as hell won't be able to do it in this life either.

* * *

Charles stares at the computer screen while he and Jack did some research, trying to learn as much as they possibly could about the Somali pirates.

But as hard as they looked, the men were unable to find anything that could lead them to Teach.

Charles rubs his forehead, sighing heavily, and Jack shakes his head before glancing at his leader.

"You know who would probably be able to help us with this?" He asks, catching the criminal's attention before continuing. "Mary. I remember her saying something about how she saw these guys before. Maybe we could try to reach her somehow?"

Charles shakes his head. "That woman disappeared in the world, Jack. You know that. It's been years. I have no idea what happened to her, or if she's even still alive."

"Still. Maybe it would also, uh, be good for you."

Jack moves away slightly when his leader throws him a sharp look, anger flickering in his eyes. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know, she was the closest thing you ever had to a serious relationship, besides Eleanor of course. Maybe if we found her, she could help us with Teach, and also help distract you from Miss Guthrie."

He clenches his jaw, his eyes filling with warning.

"Don't ever do this again. Don't ever imply that Eleanor can be replaced."

"I wasn't-" He runs a hand through his hair, exasperated, knowing it was useless trying to argue with Charles.

Especially about _that._

"All I'm saying is... Maybe we should try and track Mary down. I feel like she may be our best shot at finding Teach. Perhaps our only chance."

"Good luck with that. Assuming she's even still alive, Mary clearly doesn't want to be found. You may be trying to achieve something impossible here."

His accomplice smirks at him. "Have you forgotten?  _Nothing_ is impossible for Jack Rackham."

* * *

A smile plays on Eleanor's lips as she watches her father figure from the couch. Scott is staring out the window with a scowl, tapping his fingers against the wall impatiently.

"So this is my karma." He finally says and she can't help but chuckle.

"I know you don't like this... But think about Madi. She really wants this to work."

The man finally turns around to face her, taking a step closer to the couch.

"I just wish she had found someone better for-" His words are cut off when the front door opens and the blonde gets up, walking to him and touching his arm while he stares at the entrance to the living room.

"Be nice." Eleanor says with a raised eyebrow and he rolls his eyes, just as his daughter appears, holding hands with the blue eyed con man.

There's an awkward silence for a moment, and then Madi finally clears her throat.

"This is not how I expected to 'introduce' someone to my father." Her attempt at making the atmosphere lighter fails miserably and Eleanor grimaces, throwing her an encouraging look.

John forces a smile, taking a step forward and not averting his eyes from Scott's. "It's uh... Good to see that you're alive. And that you were able to be with your daughter this time. I can already see that this had a huge, wonderful impact on her. She's different now."

His eyes briefly settle on Eleanor, and she doesn't fail to recognize the disgust that flickers in the light blue orbs, but John doesn't say anything.

He knows it probably wouldn't be a good idea to antagonize her right now, when he's trying to make a good impression for the man who loves her as his daughter.

A slight frown comes to her face while she watches the con man.

_Maybe there's a chance you'll be able to help me with finding Flint?_

She will definitely need to ask him if he has any clue as to the man's whereabouts. It doesn't hurt to try.

But later.

She won't disrespect this moment. It's too important for Madi.

Speaking of her, Eleanor doesn't think she's ever seen her so nervous.

She's biting her lip, her posture stiff, and when she meets her eyes, there's a message clear in them.

_Thank you for being here and helping to keep my father calm._

The blonde nods softly, just as Mr. Scott sighs beside her. "I don't really like the idea of my little girl with a con man. But she's smart, and I trust that she knows what she's doing. Just let me warn you, Silver. If you hurt her in any way, things will get really, really ugly for you." He says in a stern voice and John nods.

"I won't do anything to hurt her. Never. I have no hidden motives here, all I want is to be with Madi again. That's all. I want to make your daughter happy, be a part of this family. And I just hope you'll be okay with that, because..." He glances at Madi, a loving smile tugging at his lips. "...I'm not going anywhere."

Mr. Scott nods, watching the couple closely. Briefly, an image comes to Eleanor's mind as she smiles softly.

Her father and Charles getting along, talking. In peace. Sharing simple conversations, without any signs of hostility.

For a second she allows herself to think about that impossible scenario, and how much she wishes it could happen.

But she's soon brought back to reality as Madi laughs happily, John dropping a kiss to the top of her head, both clearly relieved that this awkward moment was over.

Her smile falters as she watches the scene.

They look so happy together.

How she wishes things could be like this for her and Vane too.

And it could have been like this. If there were no betrayals, no violence, no hurtful words.

It hurts to think about this.

With a soft sigh, she walks out the front door of the house, sitting down on the front steps and watching the sunset.

A few minutes later, the door opens behind her, and she smiles weakly when Mr. Scott sits down by her side.

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" She asks and he sighs heavily, shaking his head.

"I was able to raise Madi in this life. I saw her first steps, her first words, took her to her first day of school. I was there to chase away every bad dream, to treat her bruised knees. I saw her grow up right before my eyes every day, and I am so grateful for that. And now, suddenly... I realize just how much she's grown." He finally looks over at her, a bittersweet look in his eyes. "My little girl... My  _two_  little girls are grown women now. And I have no idea how this happened so fast. Can you explain that to me, Eleanor? Where are the two stubborn girls who loved to play pranks on me?" He asks with a frown and the blonde smiles softly.

"We grew up. Because we had you to watch over us. And we are so fucking lucky for that."

Silence stretches for a few minutes, and she simply knows there's something he wants to ask her.

"Just go ahead and ask whatever you want to know."

He rubs his forehead with a sigh. "I know you are... having some trouble with handling the recovered memories, and I hate it that you're keeping me at arm's length when it comes to it. I wish you would just let me help you. Your mother and I are worried sick about you, Eleanor."

"You don't have to be. I'm coping just fine."

"Then why did Max call me the other day to tell me you've been screaming out for Vane in your sleep, crying and having nightmares every night?"

She looks over at him immediately with a scowl. She knew full well that this was happening. Max slept at the mansion twice after their memories were recovered and during both times, she woke Eleanor up in the middle of the night, eyes filled with concern, to tell her she had been screaming the Captain's name desperately in her sleep.

Of course, the blonde only wiped her tears away and ignored her friend's worried looks, laying back down and pretending to sleep.

"Why did she tell you that?"

"Because just like me, Caroline and Madi, she is worried about you and your well being. As well as your... safety."

"My safety." Eleanor says with a scoff, shaking her head. "You guys don't have to worry about that. I promise. Yes, Vane is really angry at me, of course, but I assure you, he will not do anything to harm me-"

"I'm not talking about Captain Vane." Mr. Scott cuts her off, watching her closely with a haunted look in his eyes. "I'm talking about Rogers."

She frowns at him, not averting her eyes for a second. "What about him?"

"Madi told me everything that happened three centuries ago. I think you should stay away from that man, Eleanor."

She sighs, glancing down at her phone. "I'm just trying to... handle this the best way I can. Woodes helps me. He truly does. I got close to him before my death, as you must know, and he... I just need something familiar, you know? Right now, this is the best path I see for me. With him, and my father... The Company. It gives me some peace of mind."

"You're lying." He says with a shake of his head. "You feel that this is wrong. After everything that happened in this life before our memories came back... It caused you to question what is right for you. Who deserves your loyalty. And now that we remember everything, I think you realized that the answer to these questions is not the one you wanted, is it?" He pauses when her phone lights up, a text from Rogers appearing at the screen.

Mr. Scott clenches his jaw at the phone before continuing.

"Richard failed you, again. And that man you thought you loved... You see it now, that he's no good for you. You know that if you choose this path, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life. And you have no idea how to deal with that, do you? You try to cling to this illusion, that your father will treat you differently if you marry Rogers, you think the three of you will build something together, manage that Company and be one perfect, happy family. That's all you wanted three centuries ago. And now you see what you believe is a chance to have it all. However... at the same time you think about everything that happened, all the lessons you learned in this life. And there's something that tells you you're following the wrong path. It's killing you, isn't it?"

She stays silent, trying hard to fight away the tears that gather in her eyes and refusing to look at Mr. Scott.

When the sun finally sets, Eleanor gets up with a sigh, glancing back at him as he does the same.

"I have to go get ready. I have... plans tonight." She says, sounding like a child who was caught doing something wrong, and his eyes fill with alarm.

"What plans?"

"I will go out for dinner. With Rogers."

Mr. Scott closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before looking at her face again. "Take the knife I gave you, alright? Please."

"I don't think it's necessary. But if it makes you feel better, then I will."

He walks with her to the red Porsche, watching with a heavy heart as his little girl gets on the driver's seat and sends an audio message to Rogers, saying that their dinner plans were still on.

She lets the phone drop to the passenger seat, looking up at him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry if this makes you worried. But I just need to do what I feel it's best for me."

Mr. Scott sighs heavily, a brief scowl coming to his face before he shakes his head, speaking in a tired voice. "I never thought I would say this, but... I wish you were with Vane."

_Me too._

She averts her eyes, starting the car. "Vane's in the past. I need to think about the future."

"As much as I hated to see you with that damn butcher... at least I knew that he would move mountains and seas to keep you safe. Unlike that idiot, who put you in danger's way and caused your end."

She thinks about his words for a second before forcing a smile and closing the door, watching him through the rolled down window as he takes a step back.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Is all she says before rolling the window up and driving away, leaving an extremely concerned Mr. Scott behind.

He watches the red Porsche until it gets out of sight, sighing heavily.

"What I wouldn't give to make you and Madi little again. Things were so much easier."

* * *

Later that night, Eleanor tries her best to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of the tight dress she had chosen. The expensive fabric rubbing against her skin was driving her crazy, and the blonde was starting to regret her choice of wearing high heels too.

She's tired as the result of not sleeping well for weeks, and the extra effort of walking in heels is not what she needed right now.

Plus, the makeup on her skin is fucking annoying. She hates having to be careful not to smudge her lipstick and mascara.

Rogers doesn't seem to notice her discomfort at all, going on and on about a weekend he was planning. He wants to take  _the Eurydice_ , his yacht, out into the ocean, have a party on it. And of course, he expects her to come.

_Why not?_  Maybe it will be fun. She could drag Abigail with her. The girl would surely like that.

As they approach the door to the fancy restaurant, she sees an African-American family walking from the opposite direction. It's a family of five. Two young children, a boy and a girl, walking beside their parents. The woman has a sleeping newborn baby in his arms, and as they get closer, Eleanor can see it's another boy. The father has his arm around his wife's shoulders, staring down at the baby lovingly.

The blonde smiles at the sight. A clearly happy, perfect family.

Just as they reach the door to the restaurant, the boy accidentally touches Rogers' arm with his shoulder as the family walks past them, and she notices the way he brushes the spot, clenching his jaw and glancing back at the children over his shoulder.

"Pests."

She frowns, looking up at his face. "Don't you like kids? I thought you did, you were holding Theodore back at that party."

"Oh, I do like children, don't get me wrong. But you see, Theodore is like us."

Her chest fills with disgust as she realizes what he means.

"You mean Theodore is white."

"Exactly. Don't be offended, Eleanor. I know your best friend has dark skin, as well as that security man you're so fond of. And I don't mean to sound like a racist, but you have to admit it. We're superior."

She clenches her jaw, looking at his face. "Superior how? They were the ones who had to endure centuries of slavery, in case you don't remember."

He shrugs. "I know, and it was awful, but that's just the way the world works, my lady. The weak suffer. The strong thrive."

She wants to punch him in the face so hard. "They are not weak. If anything, they are the strongest people in history."

"I disagree. But let's not argue over something so stupid. We have a pleasant dinner ahead of us." He flashes her a charming smile and she has to fight hard against the urge of leaving, taking a deep breath and walking inside the restaurant with him.

* * *

She's not sure if it's the wine, the boring conversation, the sleepless nights, or a mix of it all. But Eleanor is having trouble keeping her eyes open.

Thankfully, they are just about to leave, and after paying for their dinner, Rogers frowns when he meets her eyes.

"You're pretty exhausted, aren't you, darling? What's wrong?"

She nods with a sigh. "Insomnia. It's awful."

"Well, at least you look like you'll fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow tonight." He says with a smile and she forces herself to smile back, watching as he gets up from the table.

If only he knew. It's not falling asleep that's the problem. It's what comes after that.

_The sight of the man she loves dying right before her eyes._

Trying hard to banish Charles from her mind, she accepts Rogers' arm and he helps her to her feet, making no move to let go of her as they walk out the door. The blonde doesn't try to pull her arm away from him either.

She's too tired to fight anyway, and it's getting a little cold.

They walk in silence to his silver Range Rover and he opens the passenger door for her, smiling softly as she sits down before shrugging off his suit jacket and putting it around her shoulders.

The drive back to the mansion is silent at first, her eyelids feeling heavier with each passing second before he speaks, the sudden sound of his voice causing her to jump slightly.

"It will take us a while to reach the mansion. You can doze off if you want, alright? You're barely keeping your eyes open, my lady." He says, glancing over at her and she nods silently, leaning her head against the window and closing her tired eyes.

His suit jacket is still safely around her shoulders, keeping her warm, and she takes a deep breath, the scent of his expensive cologne invading her senses.

_It feels strange._

It just feels so fucking weird. Feeling sleep overcome her while breathing in his scent instead of Charles'.

_"This isn't right."_  Is her last thought before she dozes off.

Rogers glances at her every now and again with a soft smile, enjoying the sight of the blonde sleeping in his car, with his suit jacket around her shoulders.

_**He won.** _

_"I knew I'd be able to tame you sooner or later. And what a challenge that was."_ The man thinks, chuckling softly to himself before turning his attention back to driving.

* * *

By the time they finally reach the mansion, Eleanor is already in a deep sleep and Rogers gets out of the car before opening the door to the passenger's seat.

He slowly, carefully gathers her sleeping form in his arms, an adorable soft scowl coming to her face as she opens her eyes a little to stare up at his face.

"It's okay. I got you. Just close your eyes. I'll carry you to your room."

For a second it looks like she will try to fight. But then the blonde simply nods, closing her eyes with a sigh and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Rogers slowly makes his way inside the mansion and up the grand staircase, her calm breathing telling him she's already asleep again.

Easily walking through the dark corridors, he stops at the door to Richard's office. The man looks up from behind his desk, frowning slightly as if not believing what he was seeing. Rogers smirks at him.

"Permission to carry your daughter back to the safety of her room, Sir?"

Richard smiles brightly, getting up from his chair and walking to the door.

"I have no idea how in the world you are managing to achieve this, Woodes, but just keep doing whatever it is that you're doing." He says in a hushed voice, dropping a kiss to his daughter's head before clapping the man's back.

"I'm going to take sleeping beauty to bed, and then I'll stop here on my way back, alright?" he asks and the older man nods, a satisfied smile still on his lips while he makes his way back to his desk.

* * *

When Rogers finally makes it to her room, stepping inside and closing the door behind him, Eleanor stirs slightly in his arms, opening her eyes with a soft frown.

"Here we are, my lady." He says with a smile, setting her on the bed.

She looks around for a second before nodding and getting up.

"Do you want me to go get your nightwear for you?"

She starts to nod, gesturing towards the bathroom with her head, but then stopping herself when she remembers Charles' shirt hanging on the other side of the door.

"I'll do it myself. I need to clean my face anyway." The blonde says, making her way to the bathroom and glancing back at him over her shoulder. "Just a minute, alright?"

He nods with a smile and she takes off his suit jacket, handing it to him before locking herself in the bathroom.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde touches Charles' shirt with a sigh, wishing she could wear it right now. But Rogers can't see it.

So she undresses, enjoying the feeling of her soft satin nightgown replacing the uncomfortable dress before proceeding to clean the makeup from her face, brush her hair and teeth.

Once done, Eleanor hesitates when she brings her hand to the doorknob, glancing down at the revealing nightgown.

Its always drove Charles crazy to see her with it. Whenever he came here and saw her wearing it, she didn't even have time to breathe before he was on her, kissing her until she couldn't think of anything else but him.

A shiver goes down Eleanor's spine and she shakes her head to clear her thoughts.

She doesn't really want Rogers to see her like this. So the blonde reaches for her bathrobe, putting it on and successfully covering her exposed skin before making her way out of the bathroom.

Silence reigns as she lays down in bed, letting Rogers pull the blanket over her body while he sat down on the edge of the mattress.

"I had fun." She lies, looking up at his face in the faint light from the bedside table lamp. "Thank you for carrying me back here."

He nods with a brief chuckle. "It's no problem, Eleanor." His hand caresses hers for a moment. "I'm glad you're starting to open up to me. Thank you for that."

She watches his face for a moment, bringing one hand up to touch his left cheek. The scar wasn't there anymore. He didn't have it in this life.

She sighs, still touching his cheek as he watched her in silence.

"Would you like to... stay here with me tonight?" She finally asks, and he's taken aback at the question, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Believe me, my lady, there's nothing I want more. But I promised your father I would talk to him at his office before leaving, and I also have some... stuff to take care of with someone. So it will have to wait until some other time." He says with a weak smile and she nods, trying to ignore the relief spreading in her chest.

How is she supposed to try this thing with Rogers, if her traitorous body simply refuses to cooperate?

But she's never been the kind of person who gives up easily.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Eleanor moves the hand on his cheek to the back of his neck, leaning in to close the distance between them.

He responds to her kiss immediately, caressing her arm with one hand while the other ran through her blonde curls.

It's slow, and calm.

It's nice, she tries to tell herself.

And there's no sign of that unbridled passion and desire and  _heat_  she loved so much from every kiss she shared with Charles.

No matter how brief, every time the criminal -  _Pirate_ \- kissed her, it was there. That highly addicting  _thing_  she just couldn't forget.

With Rogers, there's no sign of it.

It just feels empty.

It feels like a lie.

_"Can't you see that you're lying to yourself?"_  Max's voice echoes in her mind and she tries hard to ignore the tears burning in her eyes.

He smiles softly, brushing her hair behind her ear when he pulls away.

They watch each other for a moment before he lifts his eyes to her balcony's door, a frown immediately coming to his face.

Her blood runs cold. What was he seeing?

_Charles?_

But then he shakes his head, getting up to walk towards the glass door, and Eleanor's eyes follow him.

"You shouldn't leave it unlocked like this, Eleanor. Someone could come inside during the night.

Little does he know, that's exactly what she wanted.

Ever since the memories came back a few weeks ago, she's been leaving the door unlocked, part of her still clinging to the hope that Charles would come in the middle of the night, lay down beside her and wrap his arms around her.

Sometimes she even dreams it's happening, only to open her eyes to an empty bed and break into tears.

And right now, as she watches Rogers lock the door and close the thick curtains, it just feels as another blow to her hope.

Vane won't show up here. Never again.

* * *

He doesn't want to believe it.

He really, really doesn't.

But it's right there before his eyes, and Charles clenches his jaw hard while he watches Eleanor's balcony through the binoculars.

_There he is._

The fucking governor, locking the glass door and glancing over his shoulder to say something to her. She's probably laying in bed waiting for that idiot, and all the criminal wants to do is go there and kill Rogers right before Eleanor's eyes.

His hand tightens on the knife hidden beneath his leather jacket.

He wants her to see his blood. He wants to dig the sharp blade into the governor's guts, let them spill out on the carpet of her room while she screamed at him to stop.

And afterwards, he wants to see the fear and the pain in her eyes. He wants to press the bloody knife to her face, to smear the blood of her beloved on her cheeks before leaving her alone with his dead body.

The macabre thoughts continue to run through his mind and he almost gives in before getting a grip on himself, shaking his head while that idiot closed the thick curtains, keeping him from seeing what was going on inside Eleanor's bedroom.

_It's better this way._

"So you're safe with your dear governor for tonight. Good for you." Charles says to himself, putting on his helmet and starting the motorcycle.

All he needs to do is get as far away from this fucking place as he can, and then have copious amounts of alcohol.

Maybe some opium too.

As he rides away from the mansion, the criminal can feel his heart breaking into a million pieces.

* * *

"Woodes, finally. I was thinking you wouldn't come." The man says as he enters the warehouse, and he gives him a smirk.

"I was taking care of some stuff with Richard Guthrie. Any progress here?"

Their brief conversation is cut off when the woman chained to the wall speaks in a voice filled with venom.

"Where's Davina?! What the fuck did you two monsters do to her?"

"The girl's safe. But she has no use for us. You, on the other hand... Tell us where is it." Rogers says and the woman seethes at him, pulling at her restraints.

"I already said I have no idea where your fucking family's heirloom is!"

"I find that hard to believe. We have proof that you were involved with the people who stole it."

"Fuck you." She says before spitting at the ground, close to their feet.

The man next to Rogers sighs, rubbing his tired eyes. "It's going to be harder than we thought."

He nods, looking away from the woman to meet the man's eyes.

"Can I expect you at the mansion later tonight? I would like to tell you about my latest progresses with my future bride."

"Miss Guthrie? I want to know all about it. Still can't believe you're actually being able to tame that wild woman. I'll just try 'talking' with this lovely lady for a little while longer, but I'll leave in an hour or so. Let's have some of father's best wine. Your approaching engagement calls for a celebration."

Rogers laughs, walking to the door before glancing back at him over his shoulder. "It sure does, after all that hard work. I'll be waiting for you back at the mansion then. Have fun with our lovely guest, brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember when I was a child, how I thought that eating vegetables was the most disgusting thing ever.
> 
> Silly me. That was nothing compared to writing Rogers/Eleanor. Oh well. *sighs*


	29. Craving

"So you went out for dinner with Rogers last night, didn't you?" Caroline asks from the other side of the table and Eleanor looks up at her mother's face as they sat there, having breakfast at the Andromache.

The blonde sighs at her look of disapproval.

"Scott told you." She says and the medium nods, watching her closely.

"What did I tell you about that man, Eleanor? Can't you see you're following the wrong path all over again?"

She scoffs, shaking her head and clenching her jaw. "You know what, Caroline? I'm fucking tired of this. I'm tired of Scott, you, Max and Madi constantly watching over me, keeping track of every move I make like I'm some young child. I'm tired of hearing about 'wrong path and right path', karma this, spiritism that, fixing mistakes. I'm tired of you and Scott trying to tell me what to do and how to live my life, forcing me to hear about some French medium who's been dead for years. I don't care about any of this stuff. I'm just trying to live my life the best way I can. And most of all, I am fucking tired of you trying to push me back towards Vane. Just because you met him while I was in your womb, it doesn't mean anything. That was just one big coincidence; it's not my fault if you think it was 'fate', or whatever other bullshit you believe in."

The medium sighs, watching as her daughter gets ready to leave.

"I have to go. Father's waiting for me. Consider this as your warning, because it's the only one you will get. If you keep trying to tell me how to live my life, trying to drive me away from Rogers to push me back into Vane's arms, I will shut you out. I don't want to. But I will. And I will say the same thing to Scott, Madi and Max too. Have a good day, Caroline."

The medium sighs heavily when Eleanor leaves the restaurant. She knew this would happen sooner or later.

It hurts her to see her daughter like this. She's in so much denial and pain. And she also hates how Eleanor only calls her by her name.

They have been talking for weeks, and yet she simply refuses to call her "mother."

Caroline knows how hardened she is. She knows it will take her a while to open up like that. But still, it's just so  _frustrating._

And now she needs to come up with a new way to keep her daughter from repeating the same mistakes, but the medium has no idea how that will be possible. Maybe Scott can help. He has seen Eleanor grow up twice anyway. He probably knows how to deal with her better.

And Caroline just hopes they can find a way to help their little girl before it's too late.

* * *

Jack opens the door to his leader's room slowly, grimacing when he sees the state Charles is in.

The criminal is laying there on the floor, shirtless, an empty bottle in his hand. The room smells of alcohol and smoke, and Jack can see another bottle, broken, near the dresser.

He heard Charles breaking it last night.

The criminal had stormed inside the hideout at around 3 in the morning, stumbling with a nearly finished bottle of rum in his hand.

_Jack and Anne jump slightly, watching him from the couch._

_"Charles, what happened?" Jack asks with a frown and his leader points over to the front door._

_"You lock that shit up." He slurs before throwing the motorcycle keys to Anne. "And you, don't give me those keys until I'm sober again, or else I swear I will go kill the governor with my own hands and leave his fucking head on the streets for everyone to see."_

_Anne nods, putting the keys in her pocket. The couple share a look while their leader goes inside his room and slams the door shut behind him. Neither dared trying to say anything else. Whatever happened to make Charles so angry, they knew they probably wouldn't get answers anytime soon._

_But of course, they knew it was probably something concerning Eleanor._

_Anne clenches her jaw when they hear glass smashing inside their leader's room, and Jack sighs heavily. "At least now he'll stop drinking for tonight."_

_The redhead scoffs. "Like hell. There's another full bottle in there. He'll probably drink and smoke until he passes out, and considering his stamina, you know it will take some time. We'll have to stay on alert mode until he's out. Let's just hope he won't get violent with us."_

Thankfully for them, nothing happened.

As Anne predicted, Charles drank and smoke until his body simply refused to take it anymore.

Jack carefully heads over to him and crouches down, taking the bottle from his hand.

That causes his leader to stir, opening his eyes slightly to look up at him.

"Does this give you a wave of déjà vu too?" He asks and a low growl of warning leaves Charles' lips. Jack sighs with a shake of his head. "I'm assuming that last night you found out there's something going on between Miss Guthrie and the governor, and that's what brought this on. But honestly, you knew it was going to happen, sooner or later. Just forget the damn woman, Charles. There's other stuff we need to think about. Important stuff. Even if things were fine between the two of you right now, Eleanor is not the kind of person who leaves the comfort of her perfect little life to stay with people like us. You know she will end up with the governor again, because this is the path that suits her the most. It will benefit her. So that's what she's going to do, no matter what she feels. And it's up to you to decide if you want to watch this whole bullshit, getting drunk and having fits, or if you will tell that woman a big 'fuck you', and focus on what's truly important for us. Now, I will not stop until I find Mary. Anne and I will even leave the country if we have to, but we are going to find that woman, and she will lead us to Teach. We'll decide what we want to do with our lives after that. But we need our Captain. See what you can do about finding him while we take care of everything else." He says with a sigh, déjà vu washing over him as he remembers a really similar situation from centuries ago.

And again, it was because of  _her._

Always because of Eleanor.

Yep. This karma thing is definitely real.

And of course, Charles glances up at him with bloodshot eyes before slurring in a voice even deeper than usual. "Fuck you, Jack."

His accomplice scoffs at that. "Yeah, yeah. Three hundred years later, and some things never change, huh?"

Jack gets up and walks out of the room, leaving his leader to deal with the effects of his activities from the previous night on his own.

* * *

Four days later, Eleanor watches from behind her father's desk as he shares a conversation with Rogers by the sofas in the middle of the room.

He's planning a dinner for tomorrow, only for close friends.

Abigail and her father will be here. Also Theodore and his parents. The adorable baby will probably be her only comfort during the dinner.

_No._

She needs to stop thinking like this. The night will be pleasant, it will be just fine. She's past the point of rebelling against her father. And there's no reason for her to fight against Rogers' advances either. Everything's okay.

_"Everything's okay. You're doing the right thing. It's fine. You're gonna be just fine."_  Eleanor repeats the words in her head over and over again, trying to ignore the anxiety settling in her stomach while she absentmindedly drew something on a piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly.

She notices suddenly that the conversation between the two men had changed completely.

"You should come too, Sir.  _The Eurydice_  is a fine yacht, I'm sure you would like to see it."

Eleanor frowns, continuing to draw on the piece of paper while she watched them in silence.

_Watching everything from the background. Like a shell of herself. Pretending to be something she's not._

"I will see it one day, and I am certain that I will love it. Thank you for your invitation, but I think that this weekend you are planning is meant for younger people. Just keep my daughter safe, alright?"

_What?_

Oh, right.

The stupid weekend Rogers was planning on his yacht.

Yeah, she'll probably have to go. Or else her father will never let her hear the end of it.

"Don't worry about that. I will always keep Eleanor safe." Rogers says and she has to fight the urge to scoff at that.

_Yeah, right._

"I'm sure. This weekend will be good for you, without me around. I feel it will help bring you two closer together."

After what feels like hours, Rogers finally leaves and her father glances at her with a smile. "I'll go take a walk around the gardens. Call me if you need me."

Eleanor nods, forcing a smile while he leaves her alone in the office.

She should be happy. Things are going really well.

Richard has even been smiling at her and asking her about her day.

Why can't she bring herself to be happy? To be in peace?

The blonde finally looks down at the piece of paper on her father's desk, her breath catching when she sees what she had been drawing.

_A sword. A skull. A heart._

The symbols of  _his_  flag.

Clenching her jaw hard, she holds the paper in her hands, ready to rip it to pieces.

But somehow, Eleanor just can't find the strength to do it.

So instead, she leans back on the chair, clutching the paper to her chest as tears roll down her cheeks.

"What the fuck is going on? What have you done to me, Charles?" She says in a quiet, shaky voice, hating herself for not being able to control her tears.

But after how much she has already cried since recovering her memories, she's starting not to care too much about it anymore.

Those little breakdowns were inevitable, she understood that now. In these moments, she would allow herself to cry, to think about how much she craves for Charles, and how much she regrets everything she did. As long as she can lock the emotions away and focus back on her plans for the future after a few minutes, it's fine.

And Eleanor just hopes she will be able to keep doing it.

Or else she's fucked.

* * *

"You can't do it. You think it's simple as that, getting a boat and leaving in search of a woman who's been missing for years? What about being discreet? What about border patrol? This plan is doomed to fail." Max says with a shake of her head and Jack rolls his eyes as they walk the streets, a silent Anne following them.

"Please. I'm not an idiot. I'm thinking everything through, nothing will happen to us. We'll find Mary, and she will lead us to Blackbeard."

"Oh, and then what? You'll join the Somali pirates? Why not just stay in here? You three already lead a life of crime here in LA, what's the point in traveling so far, only to keep doing the same thing in a place you know nothing about?"

"Change of scenario. It's good from times to times." Jack says in a sarcastic tone and Max scoffs at him.

"Will you two fucking stop?" Anne finally says with a roll of her eyes, but they pay her no mind.

"I think this is crazy. I just can't understand this stupid desire of going away, throwing yourselves into danger, when you could simply stay here in LA."

"It's what we do. But I don't expect you to understand it. Of course not, it would be more convenient for you if Anne stayed here, if we didn't go away with Charles. What's the matter, Max? You're afraid that without him around, your dear Miss Guthrie will throw herself into the governor's arms again and kill herself?"

He asks with a smirk and Max throws him a sharp look.

They don't notice the way Anne's breath catches. Or how she stops in her tracks, staring at the other side of the street in shock.

"Do not bring Eleanor into this, it has nothing to do with-"

"I don't believe you for a second, and if you think that-" Jack stops talking and they pause in their walk, looking back over their shoulders at the frozen redhead a few feet behind them.

"Anne?" Max asks as they make her way over to her.

Something's not right.

"Are you okay?" The other woman tries again, and Anne nods, turning to continue walking, but she's just unable to do it.

Again, Anne stops suddenly, horror written all over her face, her eyes glued to a man on the other side of the street.

"Darling, what is it? What's wrong?" Jack brings a hand to her shoulder and Max frowns in confusion.

"That's him. That's my uncle." The redhead finally says in a quiet voice and Max shares a brief look with Jack before their eyes settle on the man she was talking about. He was leaving a bar, looking around himself, clearly drunk.

Jack clenches his jaw, tightening his grip on the redhead's arm, his other hand balling up into a fist.

"We need to take her away from here." Max says and he scoffs at her with a shake of his head.

"I've been wanting to have a little 'talk' with that disgusting pig for the past two decades. There's no way I'll let this chance go." Jack says, already starting to walk towards the man, but Max grabs his arm to stop him, gesturing towards Anne with her head.

"She is in shock. She needs us right now, our support. Seeing even more violence will not do her any good. And you can't take this away from her. It's up to Anne to decide what will happen to that monster. Let's help her recover so she can do just that. You know I am right."

He sighs, glancing at the redhead. Her eyes are glinting with unshed tears, her hands trembling slightly as she stares at the man who had destroyed her childhood.

Max is right.

With a soft nod, Jack gently pulls Anne along, covering her eyes and keeping her from looking at her uncle.

"It's okay, darling. We'll take care of you, alright? You'll be just fine." He whispers in her ear as Max walks with them, keeping one arm around the redhead's shoulder, her free hand rubbing her arm reassuringly.

* * *

The classical music used to soothe Eleanor. It used to comfort her and put her mind at ease. But right now, it's just making her even more anxious and uncomfortable.

Looking around the ridiculously long table, she pays attention to each one of her father's guest. People she had seen her whole life, but who knew absolutely nothing about her.

Not even Theodore's adorable face and squeals were able to make her smile for real tonight. She glances at Abigail as the girl shifts uncomfortably in her seat, right beside her.

She's still nervous about everything that happened with Charles, still thinking that Eleanor resents her.

Poor girl.

She knows it wasn't her fault.

So the blonde takes a look around, finding no one looking at them, Mr. Ashe distractedly having a conversation with her father. Seeing that the coast was clear, she catches Abigail's attention by nudging on her arm, silently offering her the glass of wine when she looked her way.

The young girl smiles brightly, quickly taking a few sips before giving it back to Eleanor, carefully wiping her mouth and checking if her father hadn't seen her drink.

After making sure no one had seen what just happened, she shares a conspiring look with Eleanor, clearly relieved.

This was a little habit of theirs. Ever since Abigail had turned 14, two years ago, Eleanor would secretly give her some alcohol to help her endure the endless parties and dinners they were dragged to.

And now it had served as a way to reassure the girl that everything was just fine between her and her role model.

"Yes, we are thinking about leaving around noon on Friday. To come back only on Sunday night. Everyone at this table is invited. There's more than enough room on the yacht." Rogers' voice reaches their ears and they turn their attention back to the conversation taking place at the dinner table.

Mr. Ashe chuckles briefly. "I think Richard and I are way past the age for weekend yacht parties. But thank you."

"What about your daughter? It would be an honor to have her with us."

Abigail instantly perks up, looking at her father with a smile.

"Father, can I go?"

"Only if Eleanor agrees to keep an eye on you." He says and the blonde nods with a forced smile.

"I promise to take care of her."

Abigail throws her a grateful look and then Alyna, Theodore's mother, speaks up.

"I think we can go too. We'll leave the baby with my sister. Thank you for your invitation, Mr. Rogers."

Eleanor doesn't fail to notice the way her eyes glint, the way she smiles suggestively at him.

What's wrong with most women of this city? She's sure the vast majority of them wouldn't think twice before jumping into his bed, husbands and children be damned.

It makes her sick, and she can't help but glare at Alyna.

Unfortunately, the woman notices and obviously confuses it with jealousy, quickly dropping her eyes to the baby on her lap.

Eleanor groans inwardly.

_Great._

Now people think she's actually jealous of other women trying to approach Rogers.

Just what she needed.

The dinner progresses uneventfully, the usual empty, boring conversations taking place at the table and Eleanor's only comfort was the wine, sharing eye rolls with Abigail and seeing Theodore's adorable antics.

As the alcohol courses through her system, she can't help the way her mind drifts to a certain piercing eyed criminal. She was never bored with him. In this life or in the previous one, it never happened.

That's probably one of the things she misses the most about Charles. Everything with him was an adventure.

He was always surprising her, challenging her.

Showing her new stuff, new experiences. Opening her eyes to a whole new world. Giving her passion, adventure, danger. Things with him were always so intense. It consumed her.

As much as she tries to tell herself that it's foolish to think about that, and that she should be happy with the perfectly safe life she was leading, Eleanor just can't bring herself to ignore the fact that no one's ever made her feel so  _alive._ And that she misses the feeling horribly.

She misses herself. That's the truth.

This calm and docile person... This isn't her. This isn't right.

But it's what she needs to be for now, isn't it? To get the life she always wanted.

Things may be hard now. But in a few years, she will look back and be grateful for her choices. In a few years, everything will be wonderful.

She'll be just fine.

It's gonna be okay.

* * *

After more than 24 hours in silence, refusing to eat or drink anything, refusing to get up from Max's bed, Anne finally sits up on the mattress, instantly drawing the attention of the two people watching over her.

Jack and Max immediately move closer to her and the redhead looks at their faces before sighing heavily. "I ust can't believe he's free."

"It will be okay, darling. Do you want some water?" Jacks asks and she nods.

Max takes her hands in hers as the man leaves the room.

"I want you to know that... Whatever you decide to do, I will not judge you. I will not try to stop you or make you change your mind. Whatever you do about this, I want you to know that you have my full support, alright?"

Anne nods, accepting the glass of water Jack brings to the room and drinking in silence before getting up. "I've made my decision. Let's go back to the hideout; I want Charles to know too."

Jack and Anne share a look before nodding at her, following the still slightly shaken redhead out of the room.

* * *

Half the guests had already left, and now those who remained were gathered in one of the sitting rooms of the mansion, enjoying some more wine while Andrew, Theodore's father, played the piano. His baby was fast asleep in his wife's arms, and the poor fool was completely unaware of the way she continued to take quick glances at Rogers every now and then.

In fact, the only ones who noticed this were probably Eleanor and Abigail, the younger girl rolling her eyes at the woman before glancing at her role model. The blonde shakes her head with a sigh, just as Andrew begins to play another song.

Abigail perks up, recognizing it as one of her favorites.

The instrumental version to "Heaven", by Bryan Adams.

In Eleanor's opinion, it's one of the most beautiful songs ever made too. She leans back on the sofa, taking a drink from her glass of wine while enjoying the soothing tune. Maybe now she will be able to relax a little bit.

But her hopes are crushed when the blonde feels someone's eyes on her.

Looking up, she sees Rogers staring at her from the other sofa and her heart skips a beat when he flashes her a smile, getting up and walking over to where she was sitting.

His intentions are made clear as he holds out his hand. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

She can feel her father watching her closely. In fact, everyone in the sitting room is watching them.

So Eleanor forces a nod, finishing her glass of wine and handing it to Abigail before accepting his hand and letting him help her to her feet. Her heart beats wildly as he leads her away from the sofas, bringing his free hand to her waist while she brought hers to his shoulder.

A smile tugs at his lips as their eyes lock and she lets him take the lead, the man gently spinning them in slow, soft circles as they moved to the song in perfect synchrony. To everyone watching, it seems like the most romantic thing ever, but Eleanor just feels empty inside.

"Do you have an idea how beautiful you are?" He asks her softly, his thumb caressing her back through the dress. A forced smile is the only answer she gives him as they continue to move to the beautiful melody.

Eleanor tries.

She tries hard to connect with the person she had been before her death.

She tries to connect with Rogers again. If she can just bring herself to love him once more...

But she never really loved him, right? She just loved the person she thought he was.

But Charles, on the other hand...

Tears are burning in her eyes while she rests her head on his chest, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, ignoring the way her heart begs her to get away from him.

He's taken aback for a second, but soon brings a hand to caress the back of her head with a soft sigh.

Opening her eyes, Eleanor catches sight of her father standing by the piano, a proud smile on his face as he nods approvingly at her. However, when Rogers spins them around she sees the glass door leading to the gardens, still resting her head on his chest. Mr. Scott is on the other side of the door, disappointment and worry written all over his features as he shakes his head at her with a sorrowful look in his eyes.

Her father figure's voice sounds in her head as she remembers the advice he gave her a few weeks ago, just after their memories were recovered.

_"Do what you must, just never run back to what destroyed you."_

A sob threatens to leave her lips but she fights it, scowling and hiding her face in the crook of Rogers' neck.

_What am I going to do?_

Vane's blue eyes flash in her mind, and again she notices just how different Rogers' touch is.

It feels wrong. The scent of expensive cologne instead of that perfect, familiar mix of leather, salt, smoke and something that was uniquely  _Charles._

It feels weird to feel the fancy suit instead of the leather jacket under her fingers.

She just can't.

Abruptly pulling away from Rogers, she says a quick apology to the guests before rushing out of the sitting room. The arrogant idiot shares a brief look with her father and Richard nods, giving him his consent to go after his daughter.

As Rogers leaves to follow Eleanor to her room, Mr. Scott almost loses his composure and breaks into the mansion to stop him, but Richard notices and throws him a look filled with warning before heading over to close the heavy curtains of the glass door.

* * *

Rushing through the dark corridor, Eleanor can hear Abigail asking Andrew to play the song again so she could sing along, and a hand grabs her arm as she approaches the door to her room. Glancing back over her shoulder, she sees Rogers watching her closely.

"Can you tell me what is going on? One minute you accept my advances, kiss me, then you push me away again. What's causing you to act like this?"

She shakes her head, taking a shuddering breath and he frowns, holding her face in his hands.

"Hey... It's okay, my lady. I don't want to scare you or force you into anything. I can see you want to stop fighting me, but for some reason, you're afraid... Don't be. Just relax and trust me, alright? Let me take care of you. I promise you, everything will be just fine."

They can still hear the song coming from the sitting room, Abigail's voice reaching their ears as she sings the beautiful lyrics.

_"Yeah, nothing could change what you mean to me,_

_Oh, there's lots that I could say,_

_But just hold me now,_

_'Cause our love will light the way..."_

Normally, the mix of the song and the dark, empty corridor would probably have set a perfectly romantic mood. Then why does it make Eleanor so fucking anxious?

Still, the blonde takes a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control.

This is what she needs, it's nothing to be scared of. It's what she needs to do, what she wants to do.

Isn't it?

She swallows her nervousness and closes the distance between them, bringing one hand to the back of his neck while he pulled her closer, immediately responding to her kiss.

_"And baby, You're all that I want, when you're lying here in my arms,_

_I'm finding it hard to believe,_

_We're in heaven,"_

His lips come to her neck as she searches for her doorknob in the dark and it takes her a while to be able to turn it with her shaky hand, but the blonde eventually succeeds, opening the door to her room and pulling him inside.

_"Yeah, and love is all that I need, and I found it there in your heart,_

_It isn't too hard to see, we're in heaven, yeah,"_

They reach her bed. Her hands slip under his suit jacket, feeling the fabric of the expensive white shirt underneath.

She tries her best to repress the urge to shudder as he lays her down on her bed, kissing her lips again. Anxiety sparks in her chest once more as one of his hands moves to her thigh. Her scars...

But the hand soon moves to her stomach, his fingers tracing the spot where her birthmark was located through the dress.

Eleanor notices the way he pauses for a moment, his eyes clouding over. And she almost panics.

Is he going to remember?

But her fear is short lived, her eyes squeezing shut again as he smiles and starts to nip at the skin of her neck, the hand on her stomach moving up to squeeze her left breast as she brings her hands to his hair.

_"I've been waiting for so long,_

_For something to arrive,_

_For love to come along,"_

It feels so weird, grasping at his short hair. She misses Charles' familiar long strands. Eleanor simply loved to run her hands through them.

The pirate's face flashes through her mind, as well as memories of grasping at his long hair. At the waterfall, during that perfect weekend. In the darkness of the captain's quarters of the Ranger, the wood creaking around them.

She blinks hard, trying to banish him from her thoughts and focus on Rogers.

_"Now our dreams are coming true,_

_Through the good times and the bad,_

_Yeah I'll be standing there by you."_

It feels so different...

His movements are almost mechanic, calculating.

It's completely different from Charles' touch.

This is wrong...

The moment he tries to unzip the front of her dress, her breath catches and she pushes him away, getting up abruptly and putting some distance between them.

Anger and annoyance flashes in his eyes before he regains his composure and tries reaching for her. "Come on, Eleanor. It's okay."

She shakes her head, taking a few steps back, eyes glinting with unshed tears. "Just leave me alone, Woodes. Please."

He stares at her for a moment before sighing heavily and leaving the room with a shake of his head.

_"And baby, you're all that I want,_

_When you're lying here in my arms,"_

She immediately runs to her bathroom, getting Charles' shirt and bringing it up to her face, inhaling his scent deeply, desperate for something that could calm her nerves.

_"I'm finding it hard to believe,_

_We're in heaven,"_

Eleanor walks back into her room on unsteady legs, intending to get to her bed. But then she simply breaks, a heart wrenching sob leaving her lips. Tears flow freely from her eyes as she sinks to the ground, clutching Vane's shirt to her chest, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably, the lyrics seeming to mock her cruelly.

_"Yeah, and love is all that I need, and I found it there in your heart..."_

She did. She found love in his heart, pure, true love, and she fucking  **killed him.**

_"It isn't too hard to see... We're in heaven..."_

The blonde curls herself into a ball on the floor, her tears soaking the criminal's shirt while she held it firmly in her hands. Exhaustion takes her over as her eyes fall closed, a shuddering breath leaving her half asleep form.

She just wanted Charles holding her safely in the warmth of his arms right now.

He's all she wants...

All she needs...

_"You're all that I want..._

_You're all that I need..._

_We're in heaven, heaven, oh..."_

* * *

On the other side of the city, Charles smokes a cigarette while staring out the window. The criminal tries hard to ignore the pang in his heart. Something just tells him that  _she_  needs him right now. But he simply scoffs at the thought.

"Whatever it is, deal with it on your own." He says, tossing his finished cigarette out the window just as the front door of the hideout opens. Charles looks over at it to see his two accomplices come in. And they had Max with them.

He frowns at Jack and Anne. "Where have you two been since yesterday?"

"At my place." Max speaks up, and only then he notices the serious looks on their faces.

They look really disturbed. Especially the silent redhead staring at a wall with empty eyes.

_Something's wrong._

Charles scowls, heading over to them and forcing Anne to meet his eyes.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asks and she clenches her jaw.

"I saw him. My uncle. He's free."

He lets go of her face slowly, sharing a brief look with Jack.

Adrenaline is already starting to flow in his veins at that revelation, and his body is already tingling with the anticipation of a possible fight.

This is just what he needs. To see some blood. Some violence.

He's been waiting for this moment for years. The chance to make that fucking monster pay.

"What do you want to do, Anne?" Vane asks, watching her closely as she looks up at him with cold, murderous eyes.

And of course, her answer does not disappoint him.

"I want to kill him."


	30. Loves me Not

**_Four months ago._ **

_"Here you go, Miss Guthrie." Jacks says as he hands her a glass of rum. She accepts it, giving him a brief smile before glancing at the front door of the hideout._

_"Thank you. Um, how long do you think it will take him to come back?"_

_"It probably won't take too much longer. He'll be here soon."_

_She nods, biting her lower lip for a second._

_"And what about Anne?"_

_Jack lets out a brief laugh. "Oh, so that's what you're worried about. Anne coming back before he does and getting angry when she sees you. Fear not. In case this happens, even if Charles isn't here to protect you from her, I will keep her in line." He says with a smirk, joining the blonde on the couch._

_Eleanor nods again, taking a drink from her glass._

_Jack watches her for a moment before clearing his throat. "So... I've been meaning to talk to you about something, and I guess there's no better time than right now."_

_She looks at him in question and he continues. "It's about Charles. Well..."_

_He runs a hand through his hair and Eleanor smirks. "Just go ahead and say whatever it is you want to say, Jack."_

_"Alright... I know that he can be a complete bastard sometimes, a stubborn idiot. I know that it can be frustrating to deal with him, but... Well, he's family. He's... Like a brother." He says and Eleanor listens in disbelief before narrowing her eyes at him._

_"Are you seriously trying to give me this talk?"_

_Jack sighs, glancing down at his fingers for a moment before looking at her face again. "All I'm saying is... Please be careful not to hurt him. He literally never lets anyone in, but you... Well, he seems drawn to you in a way that I just can't explain. It's surreal, honestly. I have no idea how you managed to do this, Miss Guthrie. If these were other times, I would probably be accusing you of witchcraft right now."_

_A proud little smile tugs at her lips. Just to think that she was able to have such an effect on a man like Charles... It pleased her immensely._

_There's still some stuff she's unable to achieve, though. And it's frustrating._

_But maybe Jack can help her with that._

_"Jack, do you think you could... Tell me more about his past? He hardly ever touches the subject."_

_"What exactly would you like to know?"_

_"Well, a while ago, I saw some scars on his skin... When I questioned him about it, he... Wasn't too receptive, to say the least."_

_Jack grimaces at her words. "Yeah, I can imagine. You touched his weak spot. It's a damn miracle he didn't cut you off from his life."_

_"So, can you tell me more about this?" She asks and he sighs heavily, hesitating and glancing at the front door of the hideout before leaning closer to Eleanor and beginning to speak in a hushed tone._

_"Look, I'm only gonna tell you this so you can know how to avoid trouble with him in the future, alright? But don't ever tell him, or else I'm fucked. Deal?"_

_She nods eagerly and he takes a deep breath before continuing in an even more hushed voice. "You see, Charles was adopted once. He was 8 back then."_

_"What happened?"_

_"The man who adopted him, he... Wasn't a good person."_

_Eleanor frowns, not sure if she wanted to know what happened, a shiver going down her spine as Jack sighs heavily._

_"He was tortured, Eleanor." The man finally says and her breath catches, her chest tightening painfully as he continues. "He was tortured for almost a year, but then he ran away. When the authorities found him, they also found out about what was going on. So the man who adopted him went to jail and Charles was sent back to the orphanage." Jack scowls, a distant look in his eyes. "I still remember that day clearly. He was covered in all sorts of scars, bruises, cigarette burn marks. It took some time until he started talking to people again. He wouldn't even talk to me. He was never the same after that."_

_Tears threaten to come to her eyes but she fights them away, shaking her head slightly._

_"Did he ever talk to you about it?_

_"Very little. He never told me exactly what happened. I think the only ones who will ever know are him and that bastard."_

* * *

**Present Days**

Caroline rushes to the bench with a worried scowl on her face.

Eleanor had asked if they could meet here at the park, and the medium didn't have to use her spiritual gifts to see that she was not okay.

Her daughter was sitting on their favourite bench, keeping her head down and her arms wrapped firmly around herself.

Her hair was a mess and she was shaking. She didn't even notice Caroline's presence until the woman touched her shoulder. The blonde looks up at her, eyes filled with tears, and the medium feels her heart break.

"Sweetie, what happened?" She asks in a soft voice and a sob escapes Eleanor's lips as she throws her arms around her neck, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Mom!" It's barely audible. Nothing but a broken whisper. But Caroline hears it, feeling tears coming to her own eyes as she caresses her daughter's messy blonde curls.

She called her "Mom".

Finally...  _Finally._

"It's okay, Eleanor... It's okay, baby... Your mother's here. Tell me what happened."

Minutes drag by until she finally calms down, looking up to meet her mother's eyes. "The nightmares... They were different last night. I couldn't wake up. I just couldn't. And it wasn't just Charles being hanged, I saw..." She takes a shuddering breath. "I went back to that night, when you were killed... I saw your dead body, our stables on fire, the horses' corpses, I could see everything, feel everything, smell everything... I kept having the two nightmares, first Charles dying, then you, then him again, and I couldn't wake up, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't..." She hides her face in her hands, shaking her head violently, clearly having trouble driving the macabre images away from her mind.

And Caroline has no idea what to do.

_I don't know how to comfort my own daughter... She finally ran to me for help and I have no idea how to make her feel better._

The medium pulls Eleanor into her arms again, letting her hide her face in her shoulder.

"Shh... I'm here, sweetheart. I'm alive. And Charles is too. We're okay. Everything you saw in the nightmares is in the past. We're safe. It's okay, baby girl."

It seems to help. But deep down, Caroline knows that she can't do this alone.

No.

She knows full well who Eleanor needs right now.

But unfortunately, the chances of that person coming to her rescue right now are pretty much non existent.

So what if she goes to him instead?

A soft smile tugs at the medium's lips, just as her daughter finally pulls away, wiping her tears and trying to get some of her tough façade back.

"What is it?" Eleanor asks with a frown and Caroline brings her hands to her shoulders.

"How long has it been since the memories came back?"

"Um... I'm not sure. Two months, more or less. Why?"

"You're getting worse everyday, sweetheart. Please, listen to your mother. I think you should at least try to see Vane."

The blonde scoffs, shaking her head. "Are you fucking insane? He'll kill me."

"That's not true, and we both know it."

Eleanor sighs heavily. She knows her mother is right. This whole... unfinished business between them is killing her everyday.

"You said it's been two months. Maybe his anger has diminished by now. How about you give it a try? Even if he pushes you away, it will be good for you. You just need to put an end to this anguish."

She's right. She's absolutely right.

Maybe if he shuts her out again, her traitorous heart will finally understand that it's over. She will finally be at peace, able to move on with her life, leaving Vane behind once and for all.

But...

What if something else happens?

"What if he doesn't? What if he forgives me?" As absurd as she knows the thought is, it scares her.

It's already hard trying to follow the path she chose, with her father, the Company and Rogers, but if Charles forgives her... It will be so much more painful.

As if on cue, noise comes from her phone and she stares down at the screen. Max had sent her something. A song.

Another message from the woman soon arrives, and Eleanor bites her lip while she reads it.

_"Listen to this song closely. And think about your choices. Please. I love you."_

The blonde shares a look with her mother before playing the song.

Pearl. By Katy Perry.

It's her first time hearing it. Eleanor never cared much for this kind of music. But as she listens to the lyrics, the blonde feels as if this song was made especially for her. Mother and daughter watch each other in silence as they listen to the it, tears rolling down Caroline's cheeks.

_"There's a way out, there's a way out,_

_There's a way out,_

_You don't have to be held down,"_

Eleanor takes a shuddering breath, a lone tear escaping her eye as she bites her lip to keep herself from having another brakdown, each part of the lyrics feeling like a slap to her face.

"What the fuck am I doing with my life?" She says quietly and her mother reaches to take one of her hands in hers with a soft smile.

_"You don't have to be a shell, no,"_

"Go to him. That other hideout, he goes there to drink alone every Saturday night. I know for a fact that he won't hurt you. Just go to him, sweetheart. At least try." Caroline urges her again and Eleanor finally lifts her chin again in that defiant manner, just as the song comes to an end.

_"She is unstoppable..."_

With one deep breath, the blonde gets up and runs back towards her car, leaving an extremely satisfied Caroline behind.

* * *

The woman opens her eyes slowly to the darkness of the empty warehouse.

Her captors are nowhere to be seen.

The last thing she remembers is that they had tried to interrogate her again.

With no success, of course.

She's about to give into unconsciousness again when she notices that there's something different.

She's not chained to the wall anymore.

Instead, she's sitting on a chair, her wrists bound together behind her while her ankles were restrained to the legs of the chair.

A smirk slowly comes to her face.

Chains was one thing. But escaping from this new situation would be a lot easier.

Knowing that time was precious, she tries her best to fight against the exhaustion, thinking about Davina's face to stay motivated while beginning to work on slowly breaking free from the rough rope restraining her movements.

She can do this.

She  _will_ do this.

* * *

Eleanor is absolutely sure that she is seconds away from having a heart attack.

Standing here in the middle of the empty room, the blonde glances back towards the bed, remembering that night months ago, when Charles saved her from Ned and brought her here.

It's crazy how much things have changed since then.

Now that the adrenaline has passed, she's beginning to question her decision of coming here.

Eleanor knows he won't kill her. But still, she's absolutely terrified of what could happen. Does she even want to face him?

She feels so torn. Part of her just wants to leave while she still has the time, to simply go back to the mansion and have tea with her father, while other part insists that now that she's here, she can't give up like that.

Eleanor sits down on the bed, unable to stop her hands from shaking.

The sun finally sets outside, and it feels as if she's been waiting for hours.

_This is fucking insane_.

She needs to get out of here. This is crazy.

Making up her mind, the blonde gets to her feet, ready to leave the hideout and go home.

But then the sound of the old door opening and closing downstairs reaches her ears. She freezes.

Heavy, familiar footsteps make their way up the stairs and she holds her breath.

_No going back now._

Her brain is foggy with a mix of anxiety, nervousness, anticipation, fear and yes, pure happiness as she stares at the door of the room.

Just a few more seconds, and she'll be face to face with him again.

_"Shit, this is insane."_  Is the last thought that runs through her mind before the door finally opens, revealing the criminal that's been haunting her mind nonstop for the past two months.

Charles stops immediately, staring at her in disbelief for a few seconds before his eyes fill with anger.

* * *

"Okay, I went back to that bar and saw the disgusting pig again." Max says, Jack and Anne watching her closely. "So I followed him. I found out where he lives, and the good news is that he seems to be a loner. So this makes things even easier for us."

Jack nods at her. "Good. That's good. Charles and I have talked to an old acquaintance earlier today, and he will help us with the body. He will lend us a boat so we can dump it in the ocean. Now it's up to you, darling." He says, looking at Anne. "You decide when and how you want to do this. Charles and I will go get the bastard for you as soon as you give the order. Then you can do whatever you want with him."

She stays silent for a moment before looking up at him.

"Next weekend. I want to watch him for a week. To watch his every move, knowing that his time alive is coming to an end. I know it's macabre, even for me, but I want this."

Jack shares a brief look with Max before reaching to squeeze the redhead's hand reassuringly. "If that's what you want, then you shall have it, darling. No matter how macabre it is."

* * *

"What the fuck are you doing in here?!"

Eleanor jumps slightly at his rough voice, trying not to let him see just how nervous she's feeling right now.

Keeping her chin lifted in defiance, the blonde gets a grip on her emotions before opening her mouth to speak, hoping her voice won't come out shaky.

"I just wanted to... take care of our unfinished business."

He scoffs in  _disbelief._  "I have no unfinished business with you, Eleanor, and if you think you can afford to just come here and leave unharmed..." He stops, clenching his jaw for a moment. "What fucking part of 'I don't ever wanna see your face again' you didn't understand?"

"Please just let me-" Her words are interrupted when he throws the bottle in his hand against one of the walls, the glass shattering loudly.

_Shit._

The blonde stays silent after that, her heart beating wildly while she watches him.

"Why?" He finally asks and she shrugs, trying to fight away the tears gathering in her eyes.

"I just... I wanted to put an end to this. I need to move on."

She immediately regrets her words.

Charles' jaw clenches in anger as he punches the nearest wall, hard. For a second she actually worries about his hand, but he shows no sign of pain.

The criminal stalks over to the window, passing mere inches away from her and her traitorous body reacts to his scent.

Fuck, she missed it.

"I will give you one more chance. Get out, and if you come looking for me again... I swear I'll kill you."

She simply scoffs at that, though a shiver runs down her spine when he glances back at her over his shoulder, blue eyes filled with danger. Still, the blonde refuses to back down, keeping her chin lifted in defiance.

_There. This is the real you.,_  A voice says in her head.

"I don't know if you're too brave or too stupid." He says and she shakes her head at him.

"You won't kill me. We both know that, so don't even bother trying to convince me that you're capable of doing it."

He lets out a dry, hollow laugh before taking a step closer. "Why do you have to do this? Why leave that huge mansion of yours to come here after two months?"

He keeps coming closer and closer, each step he takes acommpanied by a dark, menacing look in his eyes. And Eleanor refuses to be afraid, to show the slightest hesitance. So she keeps his stare, not averting her eyes for a second, not taking any steps back as he approaches her.

His tone is cruel and sarcastic when he continues to speak. "What's wrong? Are you that miserable? Is your perfect little life with that shit of a father and the governor not enough? They're not keeping you entertained? What's the matter, Princess?"

Her heart breaks a little when she hears the nickname. Before they got their memories back, everytime he called her 'Princess' she could hear the affection in his voice. Even when he was teasing her, she could hear it clearly. The affection. The love.

But now, there's no sign of it. It just sounds cruel, mocking, dry.

This almost causes the tears to roll down her face.

But she refuses to let him win like this.

"My life is going perfectly well, if you must know. I am achieving everything I want."

He raises his eyebrows at that, walking around her, his judgement filled eyes drinking her in.

_Seeing right through her._

"And what is that? Your father's fake love? Is he telling you bedtime stories every night now?"

Anger spreads in her chest, mixing with desire as he stops mere inches away from her body. "Or is it the governor who's doing that?"

She can smell the leather of his jacket, the cigarettes, feel his breath on her face. Her eyes flicker down to his lips for a split second and he scoffs at her.

"Yeah, I bet he is. Is it enough to keep your nightmares away?" His voice sounds softer for a second and she clenches her jaw at him when he continues in a harsh tone again. "Do they even know about your nightmares? Oh, and be careful, Eleanor."

She frowns. "Careful?"

The sadistic look he gives her is filled with venom and malice.

And she knows that there's a low blow coming. In fact, she knows exactly what's on his mind, and his next words only let her know that she's right.

"Careful so your father won't hand you over to some assassin who pays him well enough for your head. Oh, and I heard about what happened to you after my death, by the way. Looks like things worked really well for you, right?"

She's shaking with anger by now, finally taking a step forward too and bringing their bodies even closer. "I fucking hate you!"

He smirks at her. "Feeling is mutual, Princess. So run back to your dear governor. What are you so afraid of? After all, he did a really good job keeping you safe three hundred years ago, didn't he?"

That does it.

Without even thinking, she slaps his face hard. Her chest is heaving as he glances at her after a moment, a brutal, dark look coming to his eyes.

And then the criminal closes the distance between them, roughly pulling her to him and crashing his lips against hers. She's frozen for a second before responding, one of her hands flying to his hair while the other slipped underneath the leather jacket, her nails digging into the skin of his shoulder.

Not even giving her time to regain her composure, the criminal brings his hands to the various buttons on the front of her blouse, groaning in frustration. He has no patience for this shit.

With one sharp tug, the buttons fall to the floor as he tears the front of her blouse open before pushing it and the blazer off her shoulders.

Their eyes meet for a second and she clenches her jaw at him, her hands moving under his shirt to feel the hard muscles she had missed so much before she tries freeing him from the jacket.

But he grabs her wrists, keeping them restrained behind her back.

"You and I have a score to settle, Princess." His tone is so cold. It should scare her to death. But instead, it has a very different effect. Her breath catches as he walks her backwards to the bed, not breaking eye contact for a moment.

"Do you remember when you left me in the cell? Do you remember the things you said to me?" At that, tears come to her eyes, a choked sob leaving her lips.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice is barely audible, and he scoffs.

"You're sorry."

She nods, shaking slightly. No use trying to hide from this man. "I regret everything."

Charles watches her face for a moment, looking for any signs of a lie.

He finds none.

And it catches him off guard. He wasn't expecting to find such honesty in her eyes.

For a moment, his resolve almost breaks.

Almost.

Giving her a cruel smirk, the criminal unzips her skirt, letting it drop to the floor and pulling her to him again.

There's absolutely nothing gentle or soft about the kiss, and when he breaks it to bite the skin of her neck, her legs almost give out. But she stays strong.

"You do, don't you? Well, unfortunately, it's too fucking late for that."

His grip on her waist is hard enough to bruise, and she cries out at a particularly hard bite to her neck.

"Charles... Please." She begins in a shaky, quiet voice. "I'm sorry..."

He lets out a cruel chuckle, pushing her to the mattress and quickly discarding his clothes too before crawling on top of her body.

"Good. Because tonight, you are going to show me just how sorry you are. You came here, now you are going to deal with the consequences. Soon, there will be only one name on your mind, only one name you'll be calling out and believe me, it won't be 'Woodes Rogers'."

Heat is spreading inside her body and she's unable to hold back the soft moan that escapes her lips. His words and intense gaze alone are already driving her crazy.

But she still doesn't want to let him win. She still wants to fight him. And to understand what exactly is going on in his mind right now.

"What do you want?" Her voice comes out breathy and she instantly regrets speaking.

"What I want?" He repeats with a raised eyebrow and she nods, her body betraying her by seeking his, her legs wrapping around his hips against her will, but she's just so desperate...

The bastard pulls away and she props herself up on her elbows to watch him with a scowl.

But then he's kissing her again, forcing her to lay back down on the mattress while his body covered hers, one hand traveling down her stomach.

"I want to give you what that idiot can't." He says in her ear, a breathy curse leaving her lips when he slips two fingers inside her. "I want to ruin you for him. I want you to go back to him after tonight, knowing that he'll never be able to make you feel like this... I want you to pay for what you did, Eleanor."

Her brain is completely foggy with desire by now, and the blonde is breathing heavily as she digs her nails into the skin of his shoulders, reveling in the feeling of the skilled fingers moving inside her. But he makes her guilt wash over her too, his next words sending a fresh wave of pain and regret straight to her heart.

"Do you remember, Princess? How you looked me in the eyes back at that fort and saw nothing but love and honesty, only to betray me? How I told you the truth about your father in the cell? How you watched me hang as if I was nothing to you?"

A sob leaves her lips and she squeezes her eyes shut, not sure how much of this she could take anymore.

"Are you ready to pay for that, Eleanor?" He asks and she takes a shuddering breath before opening her eyes again and meeting his cold, angry stare.

"Yes."

He smirks at her, a whimper escaping her lips when he removes his fingers from her heat, only to enter her in one swift move a second later.

She cries out his name, unable to stop herself and he uses one of his hands to keep her arms pinned above her head.

"Is that what you came here for? The governor's not keeping you satisfied, is he?" He asks in that deep, perfect voice before biting her earlobe, and whatever self control she had left disappears.

"That's what I wanted..."

"Of course it was. I'm the only one who knows how to give you what you like. And this is your punishment. After tonight, you're gonna have to be careful everytime you're with that idiot, not to call out my name instead of his. Think you can do that, Miss Guthrie?"

The bed creaks loudly beneath them and she squeezes her eyes shut for a second, the sensations almost too intense for her to handle.

"I don't know..." He chuckles at her flushed face, her eyes dark with lust.

"Look at you." He says, his voice starting to come out breathy too as he starts thrusting harder into her. "Where's the governor's docile little wife now? What would your father think?"

"Fuck you, Charles!"

"That's my girl." The criminal says before kissing her, his tongue caressing hers while she wrapped her legs around his hips again, wanting more,  _needing_  more.

"Please... Charles... Oh fuck, don't stop."

Nonsense tumbles from her lips as they move together as one, and although the violence, hate and anger is clear as day in his eyes, she's relieved to see that their bond is still right here.

It seems nothing can break it, after all.

She closes her eyes, trying to breathe, trying to hold on to any sort of self control, but it's just too much, too intense, she feels almost delirious.

She's almost afraid of what it will be like when she reaches her climax.

And when she finally does, it's unlike anything she's ever felt before.

Her vision goes white, the explosions inside her going on and on until she thinks she's going to pass out.

She's screaming out his name, completely sure that anyone walking outside could hear.

Within seconds, Charles follows her, biting hard at the skin of her neck, one hand still restraining her wrists while the other gripped one of her thighs.

Silence reigns again, their heavy breathing sounding in the room as he slowly lets go of her wrists.

The criminal keeps his face buried against her neck, trying to recover, and Eleanor feels tears burning in her eyes as she feels his hot breath on her sensitive skin.

Being so close to him like this again... It almost feels as if everything's just fine once more.

Finally, the blonde brings her shaky hands to his hair but he grunts at the contact, pulling away from her and laying down on his back, reminding her that things are still the same between them.

And it hurts like hell.

* * *

She's free. She actually managed to escape the warehouse.

But there's something wrong. Her captors must have drugged her. She's exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open.

There's pain everywhere, she's hungry and thirsty, confused, her head feels ready to explode.

The urge to simply lay down and rest is so strong...

But she can't.

_"Be strong. Davina needs you. You need to find her. You need to find her, she needs you, you promised her that you would protect her..."_  She repeats in her mind over and over again, stumbling through the streets in the dark.

But her vision... It's getting more and more blurry with each passing second, and she knows she's going to pass out.

So the woman picks up her pace, looking for a deserted alley. If she's going to pass out, she at least needs to find a hiding place. So there will be a chance that her captors will not find her.

She will not make things easier for these two monsters.

* * *

As their breathing slowly returns to normal, Eleanor glances over at him. "Charles... I-"

"Don't." He interrupts her, sitting up in bed. "This changes nothing."

Her heart breaks. Even if she was already expecting this.

So she nods, a lone tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. "I know."

He glances down at her, frowning slightly before clenching his jaw with a sigh.

She's frozen in disbelief as the criminal leans in to kiss away the tear on her cheek, their eyes locking for a moment. Eleanor is about to try kissing him when he finally gets up, silently getting dressed before heading to the door and glancing at her her over his shoulder.

"Now run back to the governor and your father. If you're not gone by the time I come back, I'll hand you over to Anne."

She nods as he leaves the room.

Eleanor doesn't know what to feel, or what to think.

She's so conflicted.

The blonde gets dressed, taking one last look around the place before leaving the hideout and getting in her car.

And if tears run down her face as she drives back to the mansion, she does her best to ignore them.

* * *

_Shit._

_Shit, shit,_   ** _shit._**

Charles rides recklessly through the streets, trying to get a grip on his emotions.

_What the fuck have I done?_

This should have never happened. Why did he have to be so fucking weak when it came to that woman?

He knows that now there's a chance this will happen again.

He's so damn stupid, will he ever learn?

The criminal stops at a red light, groaning in frustration. He needs to get drunk. That's it, he just needs to get drunk and forget all about...

His thoughts are interrupted when he catches sight of a woman stumbling into a dark alley.

Frowning, he stops the motorcycle close to it before going to look for her, soon finding the mysterious woman laying down face first on the filthy ground, apparently having just collapsed there.

Her clothes are torn, and... Wait a minute.

_What the fuck?_

He knows this woman.

Rushing to crouch down beside her, the criminal rolls her over, seeing her beaten, bloodied face, her hair a mess. But still, Charles recognizes her.

He would have recognized her anywhere.

A confused scowl comes to his face as he stares down at the unconscious woman, her name leaving his lips.

"Mary."


	31. I am Unbreakable

"Jack!" Charles calls out as he bursts into the hideout, carrying an unconscious woman in his arms.

Max and Anne jump slightly on the couch, the dark skinned woman caressing the redhead's hair as she laid her head on her lap.

"What the fuck?" Anne says gruffly, sitting up and sharing a confused look with Max, just as Jack emerges from their room, eyes filled with alarm.

"Oh, shit." He says with a grimace, eyeing the woman in his leader's arms, though he's instantly relieved to see that it's not Eleanor. "What the hell is it this time? Charles, who's that-"

He stops in his tracks, eyes widening when he gets a closer look at her face.

"Well I'll be damned."

"Get me some wet rags, and some alcohol. She's hurt really bad." Charles says, and his accomplices instantly snap into action as he carries the woman to his room.

Max frowns, following him and watching as he carefully laid the unconscious form on his bed.

"Vane? Who is that?"

He glances back at her with a clenched jaw before sighing heavily. "This is Mary."

Max's eyes widen for a second before she moves closer, sitting on the mattress beside the beaten up woman, brushing some hair away from her face. "Who did this to her?"

"I don't know. But whoever it was, the bastard will pay for it." He says darkly, just as his accomplices rush inside the room.

After treating Mary's bruises and bandaging the most serious wounds, Charles silently checks for broken bones while Max and Anne retire to the other room.

Jack watches them go for a moment before looking at his leader with a sigh. "Well. That makes things easier for us. What do you think happened to her?"

Charles shakes his head. "No idea. We'll just have to wait until she wakes up."

The criminal finishes checking her body, relieved to see that at least her bones were all intact, and his accomplice nods.

"Guess I'll head to bed and get some sleep then. Or try to, at least. "He says with a grimace, causing a smirk to tug at Charles' lips. "Call us if you need anything."

Jack leaves the room, closing the door behind him, and the criminal looks down at the woman on his bed. After all this time, here she is again.

As if he didn't have enough on his mind already.

With a sigh, he gets ready for bed before laying down beside Mary's unconscious form. Staring at her wounded face, he can't help his thoughts from drifting to the moments he shared with Eleanor earlier.

He can still hear the sweet, desperate sounds that left her mouth, he can still feel her nails digging into his skin while he recalls her wide eyes as she came undone, screaming out his name.

But of everything he had heard from her, there was one thing in special.

One small sentence that kept echoing through his mind, not leaving him alone for a second.

_"I'm sorry."_

* * *

_**Two months ago** _

_Eleanor glances up at the criminal's face with a soft smile._

_They were drinking in her room while rain fell outside, the thick curtains of the balcony's glass door keeping them from seeing anything outside of this perfect little world they were enjoying for now._

_"What is it, Princess?" He asks with a half smirk, reaching to caress her exposed thigh. She's wearing nothing but his shirt, and her eyes linger on the muscles of his abdomen for a moment before she lets out a brief, happy laugh._

_"I just... really like these moments, you know?" She says, finishing her glass before setting it aside on the bedside table and snuggling into his body, enjoying his warmth and the pleasant feeling of the alcohol coursing through her system._

_He brings one hand to her waist, the other one brushing her hair behind her ear._

_"Yeah. Me too."_

_Smiling, the blonde drops a kiss to his chest, just over his heart. "It just feels... so peaceful. So right. Like... like I'm doing the right thing."_

_She frowns at her own slurred words, and he chuckles._

_"Looks like someone has had enough for tonight."_

_She rolls her eyes at him before moving to straddle his hips, having some trouble with it._

_"One day, I will be able to hold my rum better than you. So be prepared, because I'm going to kick your ass and win the drinking games when you least expect it."_ _She slurs again before kissing his lips, and the criminal easily flips them over on the bed, keeping her trapped beneath his body._

_"We'll see about that. But for now, you're losing."_

_She rolls her eyes at him, a whimper of complaint escaping her lips when he gets up. "Get back here right now."_

_"Not before I take care of you. Come on." He holds out his hand, helping her to her feet when she accepts it._

_Eleanor keeps staring at him with a bored look in her eyes as he makes her drink two full glasses of water and wash her face before giving her a pill._

_She eyes it for a moment and then glances up at him with a frown._

_"You'll thank me tomorrow. It's for the hangover."_

_She shrugs, taking the small pill from his hand and swallowing it before kissing his lips again._

_He walks her back towards the bed, and she suddenly pulls away, her eyes widening slightly._

_"What is it?" He asks as she moves to the bedside table, opening the drawer._

_"Shit, can't believe I almost forgot... Can you imagine the hell it would bring for us?"_

_He frowns at her still slightly slurred words, seeing her swallow another pill._

_"What?"_

_The blonde shakes her head with a smile, pulling him to her again as she laid down in bed._

_"Birth control. I almost forgot. But it's okay now."_

_He stares down at her for a moment before letting out a brief chuckle. "Fuck, Eleanor. Please be careful with that shit."_

_She raises an eyebrow at him, an amused glint coming to her eyes._

_"Well, well. Looks like I found something that can scare you, huh Captain?"_

_A low growl escapes him before he kisses her, and any further words they might have said are forgotten as they lose themselves in each other._

* * *

**Present Days**

Abrupt movement beside him on the mattress wakes Charles up, and he quickly opens his eyes to find a startled Mary trying to sit up in bed, her face contorting in pain.

"Hey. Take it easy." The criminal says, grabbing a hold of her shoulders, and she shakes her head with a scowl.

"Is this real?" She asks quietly, not giving him time to answer before speaking again. "Charles?"

He nods, watching her closely, and she scoffs. "Never thought I'd be in your bed again."

A smirk tugs at his lips.

"I found you last night, passed out in an alley. What happened to you?"

She sighs, gripping her head, and he scowls before getting up to retrieve a glass of water for her.

Minutes drag by as she drinks the water slowly, looking around the familiar room while he watches her in silence.

"Okay..." She finally says, glancing over at him. "Guess I'll start from the beginning. After that night years ago, when I left... I went to the Bahamas."

"The Bahamas?"

"Yes. I went to Nassau. I stayed there for a while, with a drug dealer, helping him. The money was good, and it was easy. But then... one night I find this... this young girl on the beach, all alone. She was only six years old, with dark hair and soulful blue eyes. She had no one. And she kept talking about how she wanted to find a boat and live in the ocean. I was worried. So I took her under my wing. Her name was Davina Sierra. She had no last name, and when I tried asking about her parents, she just said that her mom was gone and her dad ran away. She was all alone. So I decided to raise her. We eventually moved away from Nassau and traveled to stay with my cousin. You know, the one involved with Somali pirates?"

Charles nods, and she continues. "Well, one day they got this antique... it was a weird looking small statue, made of gold, and diamonds and other stones I can't remember. Apparently, they stole it from some rich guy's yacht. The Eurydice or something like that. But anyway, a month ago, I came back to the US with Davina to take care of some stuff. And I decided to come to LA."

"Why?" He asks and she hesitates for a moment before sighing.

"Well, I wanted to see you, Charles. I wanted to see how you, Jack and Anne were doing. But then, surprise, it turns out that the owners of the Eurydice were tracking us down, wanting their stupid family heirloom back. And so they captured us and kept us at some warehouse. I had just escaped when you found me."

He nods, and then a thought comes to his mind. "What happened to the girl? Davina. Is she okay? Where is she?"

Tears come to Mary's eyes and she takes a shuddering breath. "I don't know... I don't know. They... they said they sent her away, but... I have no idea where she is, or if she's okay, and I'm so fucking worried about my little girl, Charles!"

He hesitantly pulls her into his arms as she cries into his shoulder, his hands caressing her back.

"We'll find her, alright? You are going to stay right here and recover, and as soon as you're okay, we'll find Davina. I promise. But... You are going to have to help us with finding someone too." He says and she pulls away to look in his eyes.

"I will help you with anything. I just want my little girl back in my arms, Charles."

He nods with a half smirk. "Then we have a deal."

* * *

Six days later, at the pool area beneath Eleanor's balcony, Max watches as her friend closes her eyes with a tired sigh in the lounging chair just beside hers.

She eyes the healing bruises on her neck, but keeps herself from saying anything. The moment she saw them earlier, Eleanor had made it very clear that she was not going to talk about this.

And Max was ecstatic. She knows it was Vane. If it had been someone else, the blonde wouldn't be acting like this.

Maybe now things will finally start to get better. Though she knows, it will be a turbulent path.

But with these two, when are things ever calm?

She frowns when a scowl comes to Eleanor's face, the blonde reaching to grip her forehead with a groan.

"Are you okay?"

Blue-green eyes open as she looks at Max, shaking her head with a sigh.

"Not sure... I think I may be starting to get sick."

"Why? What are you feeling?"

"I'm exhausted... My head hurts like hell. And I threw up twice this week." She says, closing her eyes again and Max is silent for a moment, glancing down at her friend's flat stomach.

"Oh... shit, darling."

The blonde opens her eyes with a frown, following her friend's eyes and trying to repress the shiver that goes down her spine.

"No. It's not that, okay? I'm just too exhausted, you know I'm not sleeping too well, and with all the stress... I'm not pregnant, alright?"

Max sighs at her, reaching to trace the birthmark on her stomach with a shake of her head. "Can you promise me you will take a test? Just to be sure. Please."

The blonde scoffs, but as her friend continues to stare at her with a stern look, she sighs in a defeated way.

"Fine. I'll take the fucking test. Now shut up and let me get some rest, will you?"

She rolls on her side, closing her eyes as Max continues to watch her closely, concern written all over her face.

* * *

Night is falling outside.

Charles glances over at the front door of the hideout while Anne comes in, her eyes as empty as they have been since she saw her uncle again for the first time after all those years.

"How's your macabre little routine going?" He asks with a raised eyebrow and she sighs, moving to join him on the couch.

"Fuck off."

The redhead has been spending most of her time watching that bastard from afar, just like she said she would, taking dark pleasure in knowing that she would soon kill the clueless man with her own hands.

It's been six days.

Tomorrow, they would finally make their move. And Charles is feeling like a child on Christmas Eve, eagerly waiting to open his gifts. It's a funny, sad thought. This is the closest thing he ever got to that experience.

And the criminal can feel that Anne is just as eager.

Lately, the redhead has been staying close to him at all times, an unspoken understanding flowing between the two of them. Because Charles is the only one who understands what she's doing.

As supportive as Jack and Max are, he can see that they question this decision of Anne's. He can see that they watch her closely, as if thinking she will break at any moment. Thinking that this dark game she's playing, watching her uncle, is just something she's doing out of pain, a way to prepare herself for what's to come.

But Charles knows better. He knows better than to try coddling Anne, even if it's just a little. He knows that she is not going to break, no matter how painful and heavy things get during the murder. She won't break.

And he also knows that this macabre routine of hers is not what Jack and Max think either. She's not trying to prepare herself.

No. She's more than ready for what's to come.

This is simply her savage, dark nature showing. That wild, barbarian and raw desire to hurt and get revenge on those who wronged her, in the most painful way possible.

That's why her and Charles have been pretty much inseparable for the past few days. Because this is a part of Anne that is identical to the darkness inside him.

He's the only one who understands her in this moment. And they both see it in each other's eyes as they silently stare at one another for hours. Like now.

Jack and Max may have the best intentions. But they can't understand her. Of course not. They lack this savage, feral nature. The one Anne does her best to keep locked away in the darkest, creepiest depths of her soul. But in moments like this, it breaks free and takes her over. Just like it happens with Charles.

They are one and the same when it comes to this.

And the criminal takes a dark delight in seeing her routine. He takes a dark delight in this sinister wish of Anne's, to watch her uncle's last days of life, preying on him from the shadows like she's... an animal.

_"You are an animal."_

Charles scoffs silently to himself.

He is capable of the most brutish, barbaric and spine-chilling acts.

He is capable of cold-blooded murder, without feeling even the slightest remorse. He could make any grown man scared for his life, and yet... He's completely helpless when it comes to a certain stubborn blonde. The criminal knows, that he would never be able to bring himself to hurt her, not in a thousand years, no matter how many times she betrays him.

He knows he's an idiot.

And the worst part is; he doesn't give a shit.

His mind drifts to their time together six days ago. It had been unlike anything they ever shared before.

Definitely one of their most intense times.

"Who is the guy we are going to kill tomorrow?" Mary's voice interrupts his thoughts as she emerges from his room.

They have been sharing it for the past few days, and yet, nothing happened.

Though Charles is well aware of the looks she gives him, she's still recovering. And honestly, he doesn't really feel like sleeping with anyone right now.

_Well, except for..._

He shakes his head, trying to drive Eleanor's face away from his mind.

"Max said he's going by the name of Isaiah today. But I know that's not his real name. I don't really remember what the bastard's called, but I know..." Anne trails off, staring out the window. Her moment is coming. She knows there's no way she'll be able to get any sleep tonight.

"So what's the plan?" Mary asks, just as the door opens and Max comes into the hideout, immediately moving to Anne's side.

"Jack and I will go capture him in a couple hours. Max and you stay here with Anne. Then we'll head to another hideout of ours, somewhere no one will be able to hear anything. And you three will meet us there. After that, well... the fun begins." He says with a dark smirk, noticing how Max's eyes lingered on him. She had the strangest look on her face... As if she knew something he didn't.

Making a mental note to confront her about it later, the criminal begins to prepare himself for the night.

* * *

Breaking into the house was easy enough.

He shares a look with Jack before the two go on separate ways, searching the rooms for their prey.

The place is a mess. There's empty bottles everywhere, and the air... it smells oddly familiar.

As Charles makes his way up a staircase, finding a door, the noise of a bottle opening catches his attention.

He's in this room.

Trying to ignore the sudden feeling of anxiety settling on his stomach, Charles hold the gun firmly in his hand, bringing the other one to the doorknob.

Stealthy as a cat, he goes inside the room without making a noise, immediately seeing a couch and the back of the man's head as he sits on it, drinking his beer in silence.

_Got you, you sick bastard._

The criminal wastes no time, grabbing the monster's head and banging it against the wall near the couch, giving him no time to fight, his body instantly going limp.

And when Charles finally looks at his disgusting face, his triumphant smirk drops instantly.

"Albinus?"

* * *

Eleanor shoots up in bed with a sharp gasp, looking around her dark room before hugging her knees to her chest, tears threatening to run down her face.

The nightmare, as usual. But at least this time she was able to wake up before the hanging. Still, it hurts her terribly.

The blonde sighs, getting up to fetch the sleeping pills she had managed to get a few days ago.

She feels weak for it, and it kills her. But it's the only way she found to get some sleep. At least when she was drugged, she didn't have to deal with the sight of Charles' dead body.

And she really needed some extra energy, if she wanted to endure the weekend on Rogers' yacht. They leave tomorrow, so she has to be prepared.

Going back to bed, the blonde sighs as sleeps begins to overcome her, curling herself into a ball and breathing in the calming scent from Charles' shirt.

* * *

Anne stares down at her uncle with cold eyes as he slowly regains his consciousness, tied down to a a chair.

"Hello, you sick bastard. Remember me?" She seethes at him and his eyes widen when he takes in the sight of her familiar red hair.

"This is not real." He says with a shake of his head and Anne scoffs, just as Charles hands Jack a dagger, his accomplice moving to stand by Anne's side.

"It is very real, believe me. Allow me to introduce myself. Jack Rackham. I was the one who helped pick up the pieces after what you did to your niece, and now, you are going to pay for your actions, you fucking monster."

He gives Albinus no time to react, digging the dagger into his left upper leg, reveling in the man's scream of agony.

"And who would have ever known. We spent two decades wanting to know your identity, unaware that one of us had already encountered you before. Charles?" He says and the trio's leader steps out from the shadows, staring down at the man with a cruel smirk.

"You're going to die soon, so let's just get straight to the point. Do you remember?" The criminal asks and Anne's uncle frowns in confusion.

"Remember what? Who the fuck are you?"

Charles lets out a brief, dry chuckle, eyeing the dagger on the man's leg before reaching for it and abruptly pulling it out, causing another scream to tear from his throat.

Max jumps slightly in the shadows, wrapping her arms around herself and biting her lower lip. Mary notices and rolls her eyes with a smirk. "Come on. Just relax and enjoy the show."

The dark skinned girl scoffs at her words, and Charles finally speaks up.

"Look at you. You're not that strong brute anymore, are you? Was that your punishment? To come back as such a weak, pathetic version of yourself?"

Albinus tries to ask what he's talking about, but the criminal abruptly digs the dagger into his other leg, leaving a fresh wound identical to the other one.

"Anne! Please! I'm sorry, my girl!" He tries, and the redhead scoffs at him.

"Not as sorry as you'll be by the time we're done with you."

As the night progresses, Max stays rooted to her spot, watching in horror as the four people take turns torturing Albinus.

Mary does everything with a smile on her face, clearly having the time of her life.

Jack and Charles, on the other hand, never lose the somber look in their eyes, though the trio's leader does occasionally smirk.

And Anne... she has a savage glint in her eyes, keeping her jaw clenched hard.

Right now she's firing a shot at her uncle's knee and Mary cheers her on, clapping her hands and drinking from a bottle of rum before throwing an arm around Charles' shoulders. "Go on and make me proud!"

The criminal gives her a smirk before taking the dagger again and slashing at the man's chest, just deep enough to cause a lot of pain without killing him.

Max lets out a shuddering breath as she sees Albinus' blood on the criminal's face, Mary clapping his back and handing him the bottle before taking the dagger from his hand to leave a new slash close to the one Charles had made.

It feels like an eternity, watching all this, and as the hours pass, the amount of blood on the four people's clothes and faces grows and grows until they look like the villains from a horror movie.

Max is thankful when the man's screams start to grow weaker, all fight leaving his body. It's coming to an end.

_Finally._

Albinus stares up at his niece weakly as she stops in front of his chair, a gun in her hands. She points it to his head, but then seems to change her mind, handing it to Charles.

"You did not break me." She says, staring deep into her uncle's eyes before moving her hands to his neck.

Tears roll down Max's face as she watches the redhead strangle that monster to death, hoping that now she will finally be in peace.

After it's over, Anne stays there staring down at the macabre sight of the tortured body for a while before Jack brings his hands to her shoulders, pulling her along as he walked over to Max.

"We'll clean everything up, okay, darling? Just go stay with Max for now, get some rest. Charles, Mary and I will take care of everything."

She takes one last glance at Albinus' body before meeting her partner's eyes again.

"If you dump his body without me, you're next."

He chuckles briefly at her words. "Don't worry about that. We'll dump it tomorrow night, alright? Now go."

As the two women leave, he turns back to see his leader and Mary sharing the bottle of rum between them, sitting on the floor side by side.

She glances at the dead body still tied to the chair before laying her head on Charles' shoulder with a happy laugh, dried blood all over their faces.

"Oh God. I missed you guys." Mary's words echo in the place, the first lights of dawn starting to filter through the window.


	32. Perfect Enemy

 

Eleanor stares down at her phone, waiting for the minutes to pass.

Why the hell is she so nervous? She knows she's not pregnant. It's impossible.

And yet, anxiety is settling in her stomach as she sits here on her bed, counting each second in her head.

Finally, when the waiting period from the test's instructions is over, the blonde eagerly gets up, heading to her bathroom. For some reason, she closes her eyes, suddenly really scared to see what the result was.

Taking a deep breath, she shakes her head.

"You're being stupid. It's impossible. You know it's impossible. Stop being so foolish." She says to herself before finally opening her eyes and looking down at the pregnancy test resting on the counter.

Negative.

It's negative.

_This is good... Right?_

Eleanor lets out a shuddering breath, frowning as she feels a weird pang in her chest.

_What the fuck?_

True, she's relieved. But there's a part of her that is... disappointed?

Why?

Maybe this is just a reflex from the previous life.

Maybe some of her maternal instinct still lingers, and this strange sadness is just the result of what happened. The baby she lost three centuries ago.

Shaking her head and throwing the pregnancy test away, she calls Max while walking back into her room.

"I took the test. It's negative." The blonde says, eyeing the suitcase on her bed.

_"Oh, thank God!"_  Her friend says on the other side of the line, her voice filled with relief, and Eleanor rolls her eyes with a smirk.

"I told you."

_"You have no idea how relieved I am. This would have been a really big problem."_

"Maybe. But there's no baby growing inside of me, so you can relax. I gotta go. Need to finish packing." Eleanor says with a grimace and Max groans.

_"Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Do you really have to go, my beauty?"_

"I do. My father will give me hell if I don't, and besides, I promised Abigail we would go. So I don't really have much of a choice. But I'll be fine, and I'll keep in touch. So don't worry."

_"I really don't like the idea of you and Rogers on that yacht for the whole weekend, Eleanor."_

"We won't be alone. It will be okay. I'll keep myself busy with watching over Abigail."

Max sighs heavily on the other side of the line before speaking again in a defeated tone.  _"Okay then... But promise me you will be careful. And if Woodshit tries anything with you, let me know immediately."_

The blonde is caught off guard, unable to stop the laugh that escapes her lips.

"'Woodshit'? Seriously? Jesus, how old are you?" She says, trying to sound at least a little bit stern but failing miserably, still unable to stop laughing.

_"What? It suits him perfectly."_

"You're so awful."

Finally able to get her laughter under control, Eleanor says goodbye to her friend before ending the call to finish packing for her weekend on the Eurydice, trying hard to ignore the anxiety pooling low in her belly.

* * *

Charles takes a a deep breath, closing his eyes to savor the scent of the sea.

He had missed this so much.

Mary joins him at the fishing trawler's rail, staring out at the sea with him while silence stretches for a few moments.

"This is nice." She says after a few moments, and he glances over at her. "Except for the stink of dead fish, of course. But it's nice."

The criminal chuckles briefly with a shake of his head, looking back over his shoulder to see Anne come up on deck, Jack following her closely.

"His body is already down at the sleeping quarters. We'll wait until nightfall, then go further into the open sea to dump it." Anne says in an almost bored tone, and Charles nods at her.

"What if it floats back to the beach?" Mary asks as Anne leaves them to go below deck again and Jack smirks.

"The man who lent us this fishing vessel knows what we do. He gave us an old anchor too, we'll tie the bastard to it before dumping the body. He will rot away on the bottom of the ocean for God knows how long."

"Serves him right." Charles says gruffly, turning to stare out at the ocean again while lighting a cigarette.

Mary nods. "True. It's his own fault if he thought it would be a good idea to fuck his own young niece."

Jack flinches slightly at her words. This woman is so much like Charles.

_"Yes. Now I am definitely screwed."_  He thinks with a shake of his head before narrowing his eyes at his leader.

"Speaking of fucking..." He begins, Mary and Charles watching him. "...Don't think I didn't notice, Charles. The day after you found Mary, I saw the red nail marks all over your back. And at first, I thought it could have been you..." He points at Mary's face before continuing. "... But, you were half dead during the first couple days, and I still remember how much noise you two animals used to make, so I know that if you had slept together, I would have heard."

Mary chuckles at his words and Charles clenches his jaw, knowing full well what was coming next.

"So... I don't want to believe it, but-"

"It's not that. It was just some girl I picked up at a bar."

Jack scoffs at him. "Please. You expect me to believe that? You saw her, didn't you?"

"It's not my fault if she went to the fucking hideout, Jack!"

His accomplice stares at him for a moment, seeming to be at a loss for words.

"Wait... Are you saying she sought you out? She came to you?"

Charles sighs heavily. "When I went to the other hideout... she was there waiting for me."

"Oh. Well, that's new."

"And it only gets even more strange. She said she was sorry. And she wasn't lying."

Jack shakes his head with a frown. "Just to be sure... are we talking about the same person? Because I just can't bring myself to believe that Eleanor Guthrie went to you, to tell you that she was sorry."

"I thought it was a dream at first too. But it happened." Charles says, finishing his cigarette and tossing it in the ocean.

"Well... We better prepare ourselves then. The world is going to end."

Mary frowns. "What are you guys talking about?"

Jack sighs. "Long story. A really,  _really_  long story. Basically, a woman managed to win that stone heart of Charles'."

His leader growls at him in warning and Mary laughs in pure disbelief.

"Seriously? What the hell did she do? Who is she? Is she some sort of witch?"

"Guess you could say that." Jack says with a smirk, moving away when Charles throws him a sharp look, the sound of Mary's laughter drifting off in the wind.

* * *

"Okay, let's set some rules." Eleanor says to a very excited Abigail as the young girl bounces on the bunk of their small sleeping quarters on Rogers' yacht.

The blonde sits down on her own bunk, sighing before continuing. "No swimming in the ocean without my permission. No drinking without eating something first. And your curfew is 3 a.m."

Abigail groans in annoyance, but one sharp look from Eleanor is all it takes to keep her from protesting any further.

"Also, if I think you're starting to get drunk, I'm gonna drag you back here and make you go to bed, so take it easy. And as you saw, there's people here we don't know, so be careful."

"Anything else, mom?" Th young girl asks with a smirk and Eleanor raises her eyebrows at her, though a soft smile tugs at her lips too.

They get up from the bunks, heading to the door.

"Yes. One last thing: Don't accept drinks from anyone but me." The blonde says, bringing her hand to the doorknob.

"Why?" Abigail asks with a frown and Eleanor stops to look back at her over her shoulder before sighing heavily.

"Oh God. You're too innocent for this world."

They walk out of their sleeping quarters, just as the yacht starts moving.

After recovering their balance, Eleanor looks over at the young girl.

"Okay, you can go now. I'll go look for Woodes. Go eat something, and you are not allowed to drink until at least 6 p.m."

Abigail rolls her eyes, nodding before leaving her alone.

Leaning against the wall for a moment, Eleanor sighs heavily.

Something about being on a boat makes her heart clench.

It reminds her of Charles.

She remembers the nights spent on his ship, frowning at the weird sadness she feels when she thinks about the Ranger.

"Do I miss that ship?" She asks herself quietly, shaking her head to clear her thoughts before starting to walk around the yacht, listening to the sounds of the party coming from above.

Looks like she's the only one below deck.

Soon finding herself in front of a partly open door, the blonde was about to turn around and go check up on Abigail before voices from inside the room make her pause.

It was Rogers. And he was really, really angry about something.

"Sarah, I mean it! You need to help me with this."

With a frown, Eleanor holds her breath, listening as silence stretches for a moment. Looks like he's on the phone.

"Tell her that the girl is alone in the world, maybe it'll help." Another voice says quietly before Rogers speaks again.

"She's around 9 years old, and she has no one, Sarah. Her name is Davina. I don't want to put her in an orphanage. Please help us with this. It's only for a short while."

There's silence again.

_What is going on?_

She hears a relieved sigh.

"Thank you. I knew I could count on you, darling. Davina is at the mansion with my mother. You can go pick her up as soon as you want."

He probably ended the call, because the other man in the room speaks again.

"You think she believes this story of yours?"

"Yes. She doesn't suspect anything. And Davina won't say a word either. I told her that if she didn't cooperate, her adoptive mother would pay for it."

The other man scoffs.

"Except that we don't have her anymore. Woodes, we really need to find out where that woman went. This can turn into a really big problem for us."

"She won't go to the police, brother. She's a criminal. But I know she won't stop until she finds that insufferable little pest. We need to find her first. At least for now the brat is with Sarah. That makes things easier for us."

Footsteps make their way to the door and her eyes widen.

Taking a few steps back to make it look like she had just arrived, Eleanor schools her face into a neutral expression, just as Rogers walks out the door.

"There you are. I was looking for you." The blonde says with a soft smile and he stares at her for a moment before smiling too, though the stress is still clear on his face.

She frowns. "Is everything okay? You seem disturbed."

He shakes his head, reaching to give one of her hands a soft squeeze.

"Everything's fine, my love. It's just my ex wife. Some trouble with the divorce. But nothing you need to worry about."

_Liar._

She nods, just as another man walks out the door too.

"This is Mason." He gestures towards the man, who smiles warmly before reaching for Eleanor's free hand, bringing it to his lips. "He's my brother."

The blonde is frozen for a second before smiling at him with a nod. "Pleased to meet you."

Mason chuckles, letting go of her hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Guthrie. You're even more beautiful in person. I can see why Woodes is so drawn to you. I'm so happy to finally meet the woman who will make my little brother happy for the rest of his life."

She forces another smile, trying her best to hide her discomfort, Rogers still holding her hand.

"Look at the two of you." Mason says with a brief laugh. "What a beautiful couple. You look so perfect together. This is surely a nice match."

_"Not as nice as me and Charles."_ The thought runs through her mind against her will, and it makes her even angrier with herself.

The blonde glances up at Rogers' face. "I need to get up there and check up on Abigail. She's under my care."

"Of course, gorgeous. Let's go enjoy our weekend." He says with a smile as they begin to make their way to the ladder, and her heart sinks.

She will not enjoy this weekend at all.

* * *

The ocean surrounds them from all sides.

Charles stares up at the moon, smoking in silence while Jack ties the anchor to Albinus' mangled body. Anne watches the scene with cold eyes and Mary drinks from a bottle of rum by Charles' side.

No one says a word as they work together to dump the body in the sea.

Albinus sinks immediately, the heavy anchor dragging him to the bottom of the ocean.

Anne stares at the water as the minutes drag by before letting out a long, heavy sigh.

As if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and thrown to the ocean, sinking with her uncle's body into the watery grave.

Charles brings a hand to her shoulder before squeezing it reassuringly.

"You are free from him now, Anne.  _We_  are free from him now."

She turns around to look at him, taking a shuddering breath, and he sees the tears glinting in her eyes before the redhead surprises them both by throwing herself into his arms.

He hesitates for a moment but then returns her hug, cradling the back of her head and sharing a look with Jack as his accomplice watches them with a soft smile, relief clear as day in his tired eyes.

"Can we stay on the sea for a while?" Anne asks as she regains her composure and pulls away from her leader.

"Yeah. We're only supposed to return the boat tomorrow, so... Let's enjoy this for tonight." Jack says and Mary takes a drink from the bottle of rum.

"I don't know about you guys, but now that whole somber ordeal is over, I want to celebrate and get pirate drunk."

Jack lets out a chuckle. "Good luck with that. Just one bottle, for you and for Charles? I don't think that will be enough to make you two drunk."

She smirks. "There's another three bottles below deck. You underestimate me, Jack. I came prepared."

They laugh, and Anne finally lets herself relax, sharing a smile with Charles.

As the four people start drinking and talking, they are still completely unaware of the expensive, big yacht appearing in the distance.

* * *

As the Eurydice comes to a stop again, Eleanor sends Abigail a sharp look.

"It's 3 a.m., young lady. What does that mean?"

The tipsy girl groans, but gets up from the lounging chair anyway before silently making her way below deck.

The blonde watches her go, making sure she went down the ladder safely before jumping slightly when she feels someone drop a kiss to her neck from behind.

"You are going to be an amazing mother one day."

She turns around to face Rogers with a frown. "Are you drunk?"

"Of course not. Slightly tipsy. Just like you." He flashes her a charming smile, offering her a glass.

She accepts it, taking a drink and looking around.

There were just a few people up here now, most of the guests had already retired below deck to get some rest before the party started again in a few hours.

The blonde sits down on the lounging chair, Rogers watching her closely.

"How about we go for a quick swim?" He says and she instantly remembers that perfect weekend months ago, Charles' voice echoing in her mind.

_"I dare you to take your clothes off and go for a swim."_

Shivering at the memory of that night, Eleanor sighs. "Guess it will do me some good."

She gets up, taking off her shirt to reveal the red and black bikini top.

Rogers frowns when she moves to the rail, ready to jump into the water.

"What about your shorts? You're not taking them off too?"

She glances back at him over her shoulder, seeing the disappointment in his eyes.

"No. I don't feel comfortable with people seeing me in a bikini bottom."

"Why?"

She bites her lower lip.

_Because the only person I'm comfortable with seeing my scars is Charles._

She shakes her head, trying to banish the criminal from her thoughts.

"It's personal." Is all she says before jumping into the water.

They swim and talk in the ocean for around 20 minutes before Rogers suddenly grows serious, looking like he was seeing something behind the blonde.

"Eleanor. There's a shark."

She scowls, immediately swimming away from her previous spot.

Straight into his arms.

And he pulls her body to his with a laugh.

She rolls her eyes, hitting his chest.

"Don't ever scare me like that again! I saw my whole life flashing right before my eyes."

He finally gets his laughter under control, and she represses a shudder when she feels his fingers caressing the exposed skin of her waist.

Pulling away from him, Eleanor swims over to the ladder.

When they get back on the yacht, the pair sees that now everyone else has already gone below deck.

Rogers hands her a towel and they dry themselves in silence before the blonde moves to the rail, keeping the towel wrapped around her shoulders to keep herself protected from the cold breeze.

He joins her, the pair watching the night sky silently, and Eleanor feels her heart clench, tears coming to her eyes when she sees Charles' star.

_Their star._

Briefly, she sees the outline of a fishing vessel in the distance, the full moon providing just enough illumination for her to be able to see it. Unlike the Eurydice, there were no lights on, so it was enveloped in darkness.

Sighing softly, she sits down on the lounging chair again, a yawn escaping her when Rogers sits down by her side.

Suddenly, she has to set her glass aside, her hands growing weak.

A frown comes to her face, every muscle in her body feeling heavy. Her eyes... She's having trouble keeping them open.

"Are you okay?" She hears the man beside her ask, but his voice sounds so distant...

"Woodes... Did you put something in my drink?" Is all she manages to say before her head falls to his shoulder, unconsciousness taking her over.

* * *

"So, what is she like?" Mary slurs as she watches the ocean with Charles at the rail of the fishing vessel.

"Who?"

"Eleanor. I have to admit, I'm intrigued about her. She did what I thought was impossible. She won your stone heart."

"I don't really feel like talking about Eleanor, so-"

"Charles." Jack's voice interrupts his words, and the criminal watches as his accomplice approaches him with a strange look on his face, offering him a spyglass.

He accepts it, looking at Jack in question.

The man simply sighs, pointing to a yacht Charles hadn't noticed before in the distance.

Ignoring the weird feeling settling in his stomach, Charles brings the spyglass to his eye.

And his heart sinks.

He watches as Rogers smiles before lifting a sleeping Eleanor in his arms, carrying her below deck.

Clenching his jaw, the criminal gives the spyglass back to Jack.

"What I wouldn't give to send a ship on fire your way and ruin your stupid yacht party." He says darkly and Jack sighs.

"Any orders, Captain?"

"Get us away from the yacht." He says simply and his accomplice nods, leaving the pair alone.

Mary touches his shoulder with a raised eyebrow and he looks at her, taking one last glance towards the yacht before pulling her to him, their lips meeting before he pulled her back towards the ladder that led below deck.

As they make their way to the sleeping quarters, the woman already working on freeing him from the leather jacket, Charles can feel his heart breaking all over again.

* * *

"No! Please stop the hanging!" Eleanor screams, shooting up in bed, tears streaming down her face.

She feels someone sit up beside her, two hands coming to her shoulders.

"It's okay, my love. It was just a nightmare. I'm here, it's alright."

She frowns, turning her head to see Rogers staring at her in the dark.

"What... What happened?"

"You must have been exhausted, darling. You passed out. So I brought you down here to my quarters."

Her chest fills with alarm. "Did you... do something to me?"

She glances down at her body. Everything seems to be intact, she's still wearing the shorts and the bikini top.

He scoffs. "I am a gentleman, love. I would never take advantage of you like that. But tell me, what was your nightmare about? You were saying someone's name."

Her eyes widen.

_Shit._

"Who?"

"I couldn't hear it. It was something with C, that much I know. But you were mumbling, I couldn't hear the rest of the name."

Relief spreads inside her.

She gets up from the bed. "I need to go to my own sleeping quarters. Abigail is in there all alone. Thank you for bringing me down here. I'll see you in a few hours."

She walks out the door, closing it behind her before starting the walk back to her own quarters.

_"I'm not stupid. I know you drugged me. Looks like I'm gonna have to be careful with you from now on, Woodes."_  She thinks to herself, feeling violated despite knowing he didn't do anything to her.

As she reaches her quarters and lays down on her bunk, careful not to wake Abigail up, Eleanor tries to calm her racing heart, doing her best to ignore how lost and scared she feels.

Right now, she just wishes Charles was here; holding her protectively in his arms so she could feel safe enough to go to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, t.A.T.u., for being my big inspiration when it comes to naming chapters. This band is amazing, people. Seriously, go check them out.


	33. I'm With You

_"I'm standing on a bridge,_

_I'm waitin' in the dark,_

_I thought that you'd be here by now,_

_There's nothing but the rain,_

_No footsteps on the ground,_

_I'm listening but there's no sound..."_

Eleanor closes her eyes with a shuddering sigh, reaching for her phone with the intention of skipping this song.

True, she's been laying on her bed for the last 60 minutes, listening to sad songs miserably while trying to stop her tears. But there are limits. She refuses to lay here crying while listening to Avril Lavigne.

No. She has her pride to consider.

And yet, as the song plays, Eleanor finds herself unable to skip it.

It's just so beautiful.

How come she never saw it before? The beauty of this song...

The blonde glances at the half empty bottle of vodka on her bedside table. Maybe she's pushing her body too hard. She's not used to drinking so much.

But still, she sits up in bed with a grimace, reaching for the bottle. Not even bothering with the shot glass resting just beside it, Eleanor brings the bottle to her lips, scowling softly as the liquid burns her throat.

After a few gulps, the blonde sets the bottle aside again, laying her head back down on her pillows and staring up at the ceiling.

_"Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?_

_Won't somebody come take me home?"_

_Home..._

**Nassau.**

A sob leaves her lips.

Fuck, she misses her island so much... All she wants is to be there again.

_With Charles._

A whimper escapes her as she sits up again, gripping her forehead while the room spins for a moment.

_"It's a damn cold night,_

_Trying to figure out this life,"_

Yes, it's awfully cold tonight, and her blankets are simply not enough to keep her warm.

Maybe if Charles was here...

But he's not. It's just her and her pain.

He's not gonna come to her. Never again.

It's been a week since her time on the Eurydice, and Eleanor has been getting worse every day, unable to cope with what happened. It had been a really big blow, she wasn't expecting that from Woodes.

She thought she could trust him.

It had been like a slap to her face. And coming to think of it, maybe that wasn't even the first time this happened. She remembers how she practically passed out in his car after their dinner date. So he could carry her to her room.

Did he slip something into her wine during one of the times she went to the toilet?

Was this some sort of sick way to subdue her and make her more docile?

If she was already conflicted before, now she feels completely lost.

Eleanor really, really wants this to work. To build something with her father, now that they are reunited after tree centuries.

_Now that he's alive._

A few weeks ago, it felt as if she had been given a chance to continue the life that had been so cruelly interrupted. A chance to continue her life with Woodes, now that they were in a more calm and safe place, now that they weren't in the middle of a war.

It was all she wanted back then.

And as a bonus, she had her father again. He would be here to meet his grandchildren. It seemed like a dream come true.

Except for the fact that she couldn't drive Charles away from her mind, no matter how hard she tried.

While sitting here, in the safety of the mansion, between dinner parties, expensive wine and classical music, she just couldn't ignore the fact that Vane was out there,  _alive_ , wreaking havoc in the streets with his accomplices.

And that Rogers wanted to find them.

Every now and then, he would mention the unstoppable criminal trio, and she could see it in his eyes: by now, it's personal.

He wants to find them, not because it's his duty, not to make the streets more peaceful for the citizens or something like that.

But to prove it to himself that he can.

Every time she heard him speak about it, a shiver would run down her spine.

What if one day he succeeds?

What if one day, years from now, maybe when they already have a child or two, Rogers actually succeeds in catching them? Would she be able to watch this again? To watch as the man she loved was sent to jail?

"I don't want this... I don't want this future." She says quietly, sitting up to drink from the bottle of vodka again.

_"Won't you take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new?_

_I don't know who you are,_

_But I, I'm with you."_

The blonde scoffs. Ironically, this part of the song reminds her of Rogers.

It was what happened three centuries ago. She didn't know who he was, and yet she stayed with him and let him take her back home, though the place she loved so much was going through endless changes and becoming somewhere new.

And she can't help but think about Charles. How she wishes he would take her by the hand, back to her island.

_"This. This is the future I want."_  She thinks, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

_"I'm looking for a place,_

_I'm searching for a face,_

_Is anybody here I know?"_

Maybe she could actually go back? But she would have to do it on her own. Charles wouldn't go with her.

Maybe Caroline would want to go? What about Mr. Scott and Madi?

Does Max's offer of leaving with her still stand? Probably not. She has Anne now.

All Eleanor knows, is that she doesn't want to be alone.

What about her honeymoon? Rogers said she could choose their destination. They could go to Nassau.

But does she even want to marry him, after what he did to her last weekend?

She gets up from the bed abruptly, stopping for a moment when the room spins.

_"Cause nothing's going right,_

_And everything's a mess,_

_And no one likes to be alone."_

Nothing's going right... Everything's a mess.

Taking the bottle from the bedside table to drink more, she tries fighting back the tears gathering in her eyes.

**Why?**

Why did she have to betray him back at the fort?

_"Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?_

_Won't somebody come take me home?_

_It's a damn cold night,_

_Trying to figure out this life,_

_Won't you take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new?_

_I don't know who you are,_

_But I, I'm with you."_

Why did she have to be so stupid? Her heart was screaming at her to stop, to simply stay there in the safety and the warmth of Vane's arms instead of taking the keys to free Abigail.

She should have listened to her heart. Her father wouldn't have died. Vane would have kept her safe, he would have moved mountains and seas for her, they would have stood their ground, they would have fought, just like he said.

_Together._

And if things got too ugly, she knows he would have taken her far away from the danger. Her safety would have been his top priority. They would have ran away, traveling the seas, in a life of adventure and joy.

**_Together._ **

Her chest tightens painfully as she thinks about the life she could have had.

Fuck, she wanted it. She really, really did.

She wanted to know what it could have been like. Choosing love instead of power.

Charles would have done anything for her. She just had to chose him.

It was all her fault.

A choked sob leaves her lips and she grabs the shot glass from the bedside table.

_"Oh, why is everything so confusing?_

_Maybe I'm just out of my mind,_

_Yea yea yea..."_

Her guilt and self hatred attack her full force, regret spreading inside her like fire as she throws the shot glass into the nearest wall with a heart wrenching cry.

The glass shatters loudly and she brings her hands to her hair, the tears finally winning as she sobs uncontrollably.

Suddenly really angry at the world and at herself, Eleanor starts to grab everything she can find, throwing stuff against the walls and crying until her room looks like a war field.

_"It's a damn cold night,_

_Trying to figure out this life,_

_Won't you take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new?_

_I don't know who you are,_

_But I, I'm with you,_

_Take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new,_

_I don't know who you are,_

_But I, I'm with you,_

_I'm with you."_

Unable to find anything else to throw, she starts punching the walls until her hands hurt too much.

The sharp pain in her knuckles finally causes her to stop and calm down, breathing heavily as she takes a look around the room, seeing the results of her fit.

Maybe a shower would be good for her?

_"Take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new,_

_I don't know who you are,_

_But I, I'm with you,_

_I'm with you..._

_I'm with you..."_

She strips out of Charles' shirt as the song comes to an end before heading into her bathroom and stepping in the shower.

Leaning her head against the wall as the water travels her shaky body, the blonde loses track of time.

And suddenly, something in her mind begins to shift.

She feels completely violated after Rogers drugged her. Also, guilt, self hatred and regret are attacking her full force, and all of this combined...

_She breaks._

Turning the water off, Eleanor heads to the cabinet near the sink, opening it and retrieving one of her blades.

The blonde stares at it for a moment. It's the sharpest one she has, and she never dared trying to use this one to cut deep, afraid of the damage it would surely do.

But right now... She doesn't give a shit.

_"You did this. You deserve to be punished."_  A cruel voice says in her head.

And she knows that this is the truth.

* * *

Charles watches her balcony from the shadows, a sense of urgency spreading inside him like fire.

Something's wrong. He feels it in his bones.

His brain keeps telling him to stay put.

But his heart and his very  _soul_  are urging him to go check up on Eleanor.

So he gets out of hiding, heading for the mansion.

She needs him.

He just knows it.

* * *

Shooting up in bed, Rogers tries to calm his racing heart.

He just had the strangest dream about Eleanor.

He saw her in the shadows, knitting, wearing a strange dress. And something about it made him feel... Haunted?

It just felt like... She wasn't alive. Like she was a ghost haunting him.

And he also remembers seeing her dead body in front of a destroyed house, blood flowing from a gaping wound on her stomach.

There's a strange pull on his mind, like there's something he's supposed to remember, something important, and he grips his forehead with a heavy sigh.

Is he going insane?

* * *

Charles' heart beats wildly in his chest while he makes his way up to her balcony. And when he steps inside and sees no sign of her in the bedroom, dread begins to take him over. The room looks like a war field. Clearly, she had a fit.

_But why?_

A soft sob comes from the bathroom and he scowls, staring at the door for a moment before heading over to it.

The criminal doesn't really know what he was expecting. But nothing could have prepared him for what he sees.

Eleanor, the strong, determined woman, sitting on the floor, naked, crying, holding a blade in her hands.

_Her bloodied hands._

She's shaking, so lost in her pain, not even noticing he's here.

Her thighs are covered in her blood, some of the red substance trailing down her skin to the floor too.

She raises the blade, only to bring it down into her skin violently, jumping slightly and hissing in pain when it leaves a new, deep cut.

That finally snaps Charles into action, and he cautiously makes his way over to her, dropping to the floor in front of her and grabbing her wrist just as she was about to cut again, the blade stopping mere inches away from her wounded thigh.

Eleanor looks up at him with a frown, as if trying to determine if he was really here, or if she was seeing things. Tears are rolling down her cheeks. There's some blood smeared on her face too, and his heart breaks for her.

"Eleanor. Stop. It's gonna be okay."

He slowly, slowly takes the blade from her with his free hand, raising to his feet to leave it on the counter near the sink before heading back to the bleeding blonde.

He needs to see just how bad the cuts are, but the blood all over her thighs makes it impossible.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice is quiet, filled with pain and he realizes for the first time that somehow, his anger is locked away for the moment, concern for Eleanor replacing it.

Not that he's not angry at her anymore. But for now, it's under control.

This is more important.

He sighs, offering her his hand. "I need you to stand, Princess. Can you do that for me? We need to get you to the shower."

She nods, still shaking, and grabs his hand, letting him pull her to her feet.

The pain gets worse with this effort and she cries out, one hand going to her thigh.

Wordlessly, Charles picks her up, not caring about her blood staining his clothes while he heads to the shower with her in his arms, careful not to hurt her further.

When he starts to wash the blood away, she flinches, trying hard not to make a noise, her eyes squeezed shut, her face a pained mask.

It kills him to see her like this. The noose is nothing compared to this situation.

Checking her cuts turns out to be harder than he imagined, as the bleeding simply refuses to stop.

It worries him.

If it doesn't stop soon, she will need medical attention.

Keeping the stream of water on the cuts, Charles tries to see how deep they are, grimacing when he notices it's even worse than he imagined.

"You need to go to the hospital. I will call Max, or your mother, so they will go with you-"

"Don't." She cuts him off, her voice strained. "I don't want them to see me like this."

He scoffs at her. "Would you prefer to bleed to your death? Forget about your fucking pride for a moment, Eleanor."

She shakes her head. "It's not just that, I... It would reach my father's ears, and he would freak out about this. He would want to send me to a mental hospital. I just know it."

The criminal sighs, knowing she was right.

He would have to take care of her by himself.

"Do you have anything I can use to try and stop the bleeding?" He asks, cleaning the blood smeared on her face with his fingers.

She nods, pointing to the cabinet near the sink. "There are bandages in there."

He turns off the water, picking her up again and stepping out of the shower.

Carefully, Charles leaves her on the closed toilet seat, heading to the cabinet to retrieve the bandages while she watches him.

Once he comes back, there's already blood starting to flow from the cuts again, and she grimaces in pain when he presses the bandages to the wounds.

"Why are you here, Charles? How did you know I needed help?" She asks in a quiet tone and he sighs while they wait to see if the bleeding will stop.

"I've been watching the mansion during the nights, to make sure Anne doesn't try to break into your room and kill you."

Her heart fills with warmth.

"Really?"

"Don't think I give a shit about your safety, Eleanor. I'm just doing this because it would cause too much trouble for us if she killed you." He lies.

"Then why are you here taking care of me?" She asks softly and he clenches his jaw, ignoring her question and moving the bandage away, satisfied to see that the bleeding is starting to stop.

Silence reigns while they wait for a few more minutes, Charles keeping the bandage firmly pressed to her thigh.

"It looks like the bleeding stopped." He moves to the cabinet again, and her eyes widen slightly when she sees him retrieve the small bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"What are you gonna do?"

"It's a bit obvious, isn't it?" He approaches her again and she shakes her head, fear flickering in her eyes while she moves from the closed toilet seat to the floor, her back pressed to the cold wall.

"I don't think this is necessary-"

"I didn't ask what you think." He says gruffly, crouching down in front of her, his hands going to her legs to keep her from moving away.

Her breath hitches.

Once he's sure she won't try to move, Charles opens the bottle of rubbing alcohol, stopping for a moment to look at her face and seeing her trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible, determined not to show any weakness.

"This is going to hurt like hell. Hold on, alright?" His voice is surprisingly gentle, and it helps to calm her nerves.

She cries out loudly when he pours the alcohol on the deep cuts and he clenches his jaw, resisting the strong urge of just holding her in his arms to comfort her as her pained scream goes straight to his heart.

He lets her dig her nails into his forearm and press her face to his shoulder, the blonde biting her lip hard to keep herself from screaming again.

It breaks his heart.

Her heavy breathing, the feeling of her hot tears when she touches her cheek to his neck, her nails digging into his forearm.

Part of him likes this.

Seeing her in so much pain, pouring alcohol on her open wounds to make it even worse.

And he tries really hard to cling to that part, to convince himself that he's only here to see her pain, to enjoy it. That he's not trying to prevent any infections with the alcohol, only enjoying the feeling of causing her more pain.

But deep down he knows he's just lying to himself.

The criminal dries the excess of alcohol from her skin while a brief whimper escapes her lips against her will, but surprisingly that show of weakness doesn't cause her to pull away from him, her face still pressed to his shoulder.

She's exhausted from all the crying, and it doesn't help that she's not sleeping well.

Charles should push her away from him and put some distance between them.

He really,  _really_  should.

But he just can't find the strength to do it.

So the criminal simply stays rooted to his spot, letting her hide her face in his shoulder, as the tears gradually stop. The worst part is that he really wants to wrap his arms around her, to hold her close and offer his support in this tough moment.

Eventually he sighs, pulling away from her and getting up to retrieve another bandage.

She watches with tired, sad eyes while he wraps the bandage around her thigh, carefully dressing the cuts.

Eleanor clears her throat once he's done, suddenly realizing she was still naked and trembling from the cold.

"Can you... get me my nightgown? It's hanging on the door to my closet." He nods, raising to his feet and leaving her alone in the bathroom. The blonde looks down at her bandaged thigh, her heart skipping a beat as she thinks about how he took care of her.

_Maybe there's still hope..._

Her thoughts are interrupted when he comes back, silently offering her the nightgown.

She proceeds to put it on before looking up at him.

Much to her disbelief, he offers her his hand, watching her closely.

"Let's get you to bed, lady Honeypot."

Her breath catches at the nickname she hadn't heard in... well, centuries. Literally.

Will Charles ever stop surprising her?

She gives a slight nod, accepting his hand and letting him pull her to her feet, a question clear in his eyes.

_Will I need to carry you again?_

"I'm okay." She says in a quiet, shaky voice, not wanting to show any more weakness.

It hurts like hell to walk, sharp pain coming from her thigh, getting worse with each step she takes. The short walk feels like an eternity, and she sighs in relief when she reaches her bed, noticing Charles stayed close to her the whole time, ready to catch her if she fell

_Like always._

He watches while she gets under the covers, turning around to walk to the balcony's door. But she suddenly reaches out to grab his wrist, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

"Please don't leave me."

To say Charles was caught off guard is an understatement.

For a moment, he merely watches her, trying to determine if he was just hearing things. But the sincere, pained and unguarded look in her eyes is the only confirmation he needs.

And he will die before he leaves Eleanor Guthrie alone in such a fragile state.

Fuck the past.

Fuck the betrayals. She needs him right now.

So for this moment, he will lock away his anger and be her strength.

Getting under the blankets beside the still shaky blonde, the criminal revels in her soft sigh of pleasure when he wraps his arms around her, holding her close.

Her hand immediately seeks out the anchor pendant, her fingers wrapping around it as she lays her head over his heart.

The mix of exhaustion, pain and the alcohol cause her to pass out almost immediately in his arms.

He only sleeps for a few minutes, always waking up to check up on her.

Her sleep is restless too, as she keeps whimpering and shaking, her face filled with pain.

Each time she gets too agitated he holds her close, muttering reassuring words in her ear to calm her down.

It works, but only for a while.

Sometimes, she opens her eyes a little, staring up at him, a tear or two occasionally running down her cheek.

The look in her eyes breaks his heart into a million pieces. He sees so many emotions.

Pain, regret, despair.

**Love.**

But she soon goes back to her restless sleep, her uneven breathing and shuddering sighs killing him slowly.

When dawn comes, he ignores his brain urging him to go back to the hideout.

Instead, he stays in bed with her until she finally wakes up fully.

She winces, a pained whimper leaving her lips and his heart clenches.

"Do you have any painkillers in here?"

She nods, pointing to her bedside table's drawer and he moves to get them.

He watches her as she swallows the pill, noticing the way her hands are trembling. His face is an emotionless mask though on the inside his heart is breaking for her.

"You stay in bed today. Don't even think about getting out of your bedroom." He says, pulling the covers away from her body. She watches him in silence.

"I need to check the bandages."

She sighs, lifting the hem of the nightgown and her breath catches when she sees the blood on the bandages.

"It's no surprise, Eleanor. I don't know if you remember, but you were cutting really deep."

She frowns, still looking down at her thighs. He sighs, moving to her side.

"I need to change these. Check the cuts and clean them up."

She grimaces at the thought.

But he's right.

"There's... Medical supplies in the bathroom."

He nods, getting up and moving to the other side of the bed before wordlessly picking her up.

She's surprised by this, but lets him do it anyway, wrapping her arms around his neck and savoring each second of the short walk to her bathroom.

He carefully sets her on the counter beside the sink before opening the cabinet and pulling the supplies out.

As he starts to work on removing the bandages she gasps in pain, hands flying to his wrists.

He looks at her in question, but soon realizes what was wrong.

Since the cuts reopened during the night, part of the bandages got stuck to the dried blood.

He grimaces.

"It's okay. I'll just put some water on them. So I'll be able to remove them without hurting you too much."

She winces when the water soaks through the bandages, reaching the cuts.

"Now we wait for a few minutes" He says, moving away from her to lean against the wall.

_**We.** _

Warmth spreads through her chest but she pushes the feeling away, slowly looking up at his face

"Why are you being gentle with me?"

He sighs heavily.

"Good question, Eleanor. I wish I knew the answer too." He does his best to keep his voice as rough as he possibly can. "What are the chances of your father coming here to your room and seeing me?"

She shakes her head. "None. My father's in London visiting my grandparents, he won't be back until Monday."

He nods. "Good."

"The Company, I'm supposed to-"

"Forget the fucking Company." He growls. "You won't leave this room today."

Even in her current state, she lifts her chin in defiance, scowling at him.

"I have responsibilities, Charles."

"Your only responsibility right now is healing and recovering. If you try leaving this room, I will tie you to the bed. I'm serious."

Trying to ignore the shiver that goes down her spine at his words, Eleanor scoffs at him.

"Try it. I'll scream, the servants will hear."

He lets out a hollow laugh. "And what makes you think I won't gag you?"

Eleanor rolls her eyes at him with a sigh, just as he approaches her to try removing the bandages again.

This time, he's able to do it without causing her any further pain, and the blonde sighs in relief.

Eleanor watches in silence as he cleans up the cuts, inspecting each one of them carefully to see how they were healing.

Biting her lip and grimacing in pain while he works, she lets her head drop forward, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

His movements falter for a second before he continues to take care of her wounds, carefully bandaging her thigh again when he's done.

"How's the pain, beautiful?" Her breath catches at his words, but she's quick to regain her composure.

"Bad. It's hurting like hell, and it only gets worse every time I make even the slightest movement."

"Want more painkillers?" He asks, brushing her hair behind her ear and she nods, letting him lift her in his arms again, carrying her back to her bed.

He hands her the pills, moving back to lean against the wall and taking something out of his jacket's pocket.

**A coin.**

She holds her breath when he begins to play with it, absentmindedly watching the balcony's door.

There. She missed that.

It was always enough to drive her crazy.

These skilled fingers...

"When we were sitting there, talking about the Urca..." She begins, causing him to look at her, still playing with the coin. "...My eyes would always drift off to your hand. You have no idea how much I wanted you, right then, right there. I just wanted to throw Flint, Jack and Gates out and-"

"I did notice." He interrupts her, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I was doing it on purpose. Seeing you like that, all tense, looking at me when you thought I wasn't seeing. It was priceless."

She rolls her eyes at him, shaking her head before swallowing the painkillers.

"You should get some more sleep, Eleanor. The more you sleep, the faster you'll heal."

She shakes her head again, but then seems to remember something.

"I got, uh... Some medicine a couple weeks ago. Sleeping pills. They're in the cabinet back at the bathroom. Can you get them for me?"

He frowns, heading to the bathroom and coming back with the pills.

"This shit is bad for your health."

She scoffs, taking the small bottle from his hands. "Says the man who drinks and smokes all the time."

"Have you been drugging yourself, Eleanor?" He asks, ignoring her smart retort and she sighs.

"Yes. I have."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise, I am plagued with the sight of your dead body everytime I close my fucking eyes, that's why!" She snaps, instantly regretting the confession. Though she's sure he probably knew already.

The blonde exhales deeply, swallowing two of the sleeping pills before setting the small bottle on her bedside table, the criminal watching her closely.

Noise comes from his phone. A text from Jack.

_"Where are you?"_

He ignores it, putting the phone back inside his pocket and looking around the room, only now fully noticing the results of her fit last night.

Everything was a mess.

Wordlessly, the criminal begins to clean it up for her, Eleanor watching in silent disbelief.

By the time he's done, her eyelids feel heavy. Her whole body does, actually.

Frowning, she reaches out for him weakly before laying down, and the criminal makes his way over to the bed.

"Charles?"

Hesitating for a moment, he sighs heavily. Seeing her like this... She just looks so helpless and innocent. So sad.  _So broken._

He lays down by her side, pulling her into his arms.

"I can't move my arms... Or my legs." She mumbles against his chest, unable to keep her eyes open.

"It's from the painkillers and the sleeping pills. You're completely drugged. Just go to sleep, Princess."

"I don't wanna... You'll be gone when I wake up..."

"I'll stay until tomorrow, okay? I'm not going anywhere until your father gets home."

Panic flickers in her eyes. "You... Won't hurt my father? Please don't kill him..."

"You have my word. Now sleep."

The promise is all it takes.

Unconsciousness takes her over, the blonde sighing softly in Charles' arms as her body goes limp.

* * *

The hours pass in a blur for Charles.

He sleeps for a few minutes too, always waking up to make sure his arms are still safely around Eleanor, to keep her from rolling onto her injured thigh.

He watches her face, unable to get enough of the sight.

It just feels so good to have her in his arms again.

She scowls softly, and warmth spreads inside him when she brings her hand to rest on his chest, just over his heart.

How is he supposed to leave her alone after this weekend? Will he be able to keep his distance again?

Shaking his head, the criminal remembers the sight of Rogers carrying her sleeping form below deck back on his yacht last weekend.

She probably slept with that idiot dozens of times already by now.

The thought is enough to bring some of his anger back, much to his satisfaction. His phone buzzes inside his pocket, and he curses under his breath when Eleanor stirs in his arms, a whimper escaping her lips.

He should have left the fucking phone on the bedside table.

"What time is it?" She mumbles and he sighs, pulling out his phone.

"Almost 6 p.m., you slept for a long while. That's good."

His phone rings and he hesitates for a moment before answering the call.

"Mary, what is it?"

_"Charles... Where are you? We're worried. Did you forget that we were going to start looking for my little girl today?"_

**Shit.**

He completely forgot about Mary and Davina.

The criminal glances down at Eleanor's face, surprised to see tears glinting in her eyes. The blonde is quick to hide them though.

"Shit, Mary, look... Some... stuff came up, I won't be back until tomorrow. Start without me, Jack is good at finding people. I'll join you guys tomorrow."

She scoffs.

_"Fuck you, Charles."_  Is all she says before hanging up on him.

And Eleanor clears her throat, looking up at his face with a scowl.

"Who's Mary?" Her voice sounds strained. Is she...?

"Are you jealous?" He asks and she scoffs.

"In your dreams. Just curious."

She's lying.

But his amusement fades away when he realizes he's being too friendly.

Time to correct this.

"Why should I tell you who Mary is? So you can have her hanged too?"

It feels like a punch to her face and she tries to move away from him, only to cry out in pain.

Concern fills his eyes. "What is it?"

"None of your business. I'm fine." She says, laying down on her back.

"Like fuck you are." He says in a rough voice, lifting the hem of her nightgown to check the bandages, relieved when he doesn't see any blood soaking through this time. "Try not to make any other abrupt movements, you could reopen the cuts."

She simply scoffs at him once more, staring up at the ceiling. "I hate you, you know."

A smirk tugs at his lips. "Hate you too, lady Honeypot."

Her breath catches again, much to his satisfaction.

"Why are you calling-"

"I can call you whatever I want." He interrupts her, getting up from the bed. "Need painkillers again? Or are you okay for now?"

"I'm okay. The pain is tolerable for now."

He nods. "You need to eat, Eleanor."

"I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask if you were hungry. You haven't eaten anything all day. Your body needs sustenance if you want the wounds to heal."

She sighs, knowing he was right. "Guess I'll call Eme and ask her to bring something from the kitchens for us..." She trails off, frowning. "...Or maybe not. I don't know if I want to risk the servants suspecting anything."

He thinks for a moment before pulling out his phone.

"Max." Is all he says as he calls a number.

* * *

"What happened to her?" Max asks in an exasperated voice, rushing inside the room as soon as Charles unlocks the door.

Eleanor sits up in bed with a grimace, watching while her friend leaves the food she brought for them on the desk near the bathroom before running to the bed.

"I found her cutting last night. It was really bad, took me some time to be able to stop the bleeding." Charles explains as the woman pulls the blankets away from her friend, reaching to lift the hem of her nightgown.

She touches the blonde's bandaged thigh softly, sighing and shaking her head. "Why did you not call me, Eleanor?"

"I wasn't thinking straight..."

"Thank God Vane came to your rescue, can you imagine what could have happened in case you had to deal with this on your own? You wouldn't have been able to stop the bleeding without his help!"

The blonde glances over at Charles, nodding softly. "I know. But I'm okay now."

"What brought this on, mon ange? You were doing so well, you were in recovery from the self harm, what happened?"

"I... was just angry with myself, and... something happened, on the Eurydice-"

"I knew it!" Max says, anger flickering in her eyes. "I knew that idiot would do something to you!"

Charles immediately looks up, the coin dropping from his fingers as he storms over to the bed, jaw clenched hard. "What did he do, Eleanor?"

She glances between the two people, seeing the indignation in Max's eyes and the intense anger in Vane's.

They are so different from each other, and yet the concern in their eyes is the same. The concern for  **her.**

_They are her guardian angels._

Shaking her head with a sigh, she gives up, knowing it would be impossible to hide from them.

"Woodes, he... He drugged me."

"He did what?!" Max cries out in disbelief, and Charles turns around, hands balling up into fists.

"It was around 3 in the morning, I sent Abigail to bed, he offered me a drink. We went for a quick swim, and then when we were sitting on a lounge chair, I simply passed out. He carried me down to his quarters, and I woke up a few hours later. But I-"

"Did that idiot take advantage of you, Eleanor?" Both women jump slightly at the sudden sound of Charles' rough voice when he practically screams the question, turning around again to face the blonde.

She watches his face for a moment before shaking her head. "No. He just took me to his bed, but he didn't do anything else. Everything was intact when I woke up."

"I'll fucking kill that bastard." The criminal says, sending a wave of dread straight to her heart.

"I will help you." Max says and Eleanor sighs heavily.

"Please don't do anything, Charles. He... has too much influence in this city, it would be a disaster."

He scoffs at her words, moving closer to the bed with an angry glow in his eyes. "Will you fucking stop defending the governor?"

She glares right back at him in defiance, her voice raising too. "I am not defending him!"

"Okay, stop! Both of you!" Max says in a stern voice, moving between the two of them. "Fighting won't do you any good. I know you two still have a lot to work out, I know that you're still angry at each other, but clearly, there's still love here."

Eleanor scoffs. "Love? Please. He killed my father! I have no love for this animal."

"Just as I have no love for you traitorous witch!" He seethes and Max clenches her jaw.

"Oh, for God's sake! You two are so pathetic! Trying to deny something that is as clear as the light of day."

"You're mistaken." Eleanor says in a dry tone.

"Oh, am I? Then answer me something. Vane said he came here last night. That's almost 24 hours ago. Where did he sleep?" She asks with a smirk, and Eleanor looks away. "Hmm? On the floor? Or in your bed, with his arms around you?"

"That means nothing."

"Really? And why is he still here taking care of you? If you two hate each other so much, if there is no love at all left here, then why didn't he just leave you to your pain? Why didn't he leave you to bleed to your death?" She turns around to look at the criminal. "Why, Vane? Can you answer me?"

He clenches his jaw, looking away too, and Max's smirk only gets bigger as the silence stretches.

"Bien..." She finally says, starting to walk to the door. "I guess that answers my questions. I will leave you two alone now. You take good care of her, Vane. Call me if you need anything. And try not to kill each other, yes?" She opens the door, looking back at them over her shoulder for a moment. "Oh, and also... stop trying to fight the connection between you two. It looks fucking pathetic."

The woman winks at them before walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.

They slowly meet each other's eyes, anger and hate clear on their faces.

"Why didn't you tell her about how you desperately reached out for me last night, begging me not to leave you alone?"

"Fuck you, Charles."

* * *

She wakes up in the middle of the night.

Checking the time on her phone, Eleanor sees it's just after 2 a.m., and she feels so sleepy...

She must still be under the effects of her latest dose of painkillers and sleeping pills.

The blonde is just about to go back to sleep when she notices there's something missing. She feels so cold...

A frown comes to her face when she notices Charles is not in bed.

Her heart skips a beat but the panic is short lived, as she hears the sound of her shower coming from the bathroom.

_"It's okay. He's just taking a shower."_  She thinks to herself, biting her lip at the image that comes to her mind.

The thought of him, naked and wet, so close to her...

She presses her thighs together, wincing at the sharp pain caused by the movement.

Even though she's drugged, she wants him. She wants him right now.

Maybe if it wasn't for the fog in her brain, she would have thought twice about this.

But she's not thinking straight. She's barely thinking at all.

Eleanor gets up from the bed, a whimper escaping her lips as the cuts on her thigh protest, but she doesn't give up, stripping out of the nightgown.

The blonde limps towards the bathroom door, almost falling several times. It's harder than she thought it would be, to walk when you're drugged.

But she eventually reaches her destination, having no success in turning the doorknob in the first couple tries.

When she finally succeeds, stumbling into the bathroom, the criminal in her shower looks over at her with a scowl.

Giving him no time to do anything else, she quickly joins him, almost falling again.

He immediately grabs a hold of her shoulders, keeping her from falling to the floor, anger flickering in his eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

The blonde leans forward, pressing her lips to his before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Want you, Captain." She whispers in his ear.

And it takes all of his willpower not to meet her demand.

Clenching his jaw, he pulls her away from his body.

"You're completely drugged, Eleanor. It's a miracle you managed to come here without falling and hurting yourself even more."

She leans against the wall, watching him with a scowl and half closed eyes. He sighs, turning off the water before helping her to the closed toilet seat, making her sit down on it while he wrapped a towel around his hips, getting another one and putting it around her shoulders.

Then he simply lifts her in his arms, walking back into her room and heading to her bed.

"You need to sleep." Is all he says, laying her down on the bed, careful of her cuts.

She reaches out, grabbing a hold of his arm.

Her grip is so weak. She's drugged. It would be easy to just tear his arm out of her grasp.

But he doesn't.

Instead, he lays down by her side, and she catches him off guard again, crashing her lips against his.

The feeling of her naked body pressed against his is too much. His self control vanishes for a moment as he responds to her kiss, covering her body with his.

Her hands tangle in his hair, legs wrapping around his hips while she tries to ignore the sharp pain in her thigh.

He presses his hips to hers, reveling in her sigh of pleasure, the towel being the only obstacle between them.

Her soft breasts press against the hardness of his chest as she arches her body into his, seeking more contact, always more...

And he gets a grip on himself, breaking their kiss with a heavy sigh.

She whimpers softly in protest, tears burning in her eyes.

"Charles... Please..."

"No. Look at yourself. You're hurt, and drugged. So no. End of discussion."

"I'm fine!"

"Eleanor. I don't think I can bring myself to be gentle. There's too much anger. If we did this now, I would only hurt you further."

She begins to hit his chest weakly, a tear running down her cheek.

"I hate you... I fucking hate you!"

"I know." A smile tugs at his lips, his arms safely around her waist as he holds her close to his body.

Soon enough, all fight begins to leave her body, her fists stopping their pathetic assault on his chest.

"I hate you..." She mumbles one last time before sleep takes her over.

* * *

They wake up at the same time on Sunday morning and Eleanor frowns when she realizes she's naked.

"What happened?" She asks, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

"Don't you remember?"

It all comes crashing over her then and she blushes, pulling away from him to hide her face on a pillow. "No. I don't remember a thing."

He chuckles. "Of course you don't."

He watches her for a while. "Can I take a shower now? Or will you interrupt me again?"

She groans. "Fuck you."

Later, when he steps out of her bathroom, his eyes darken when he sees her putting on the nightgown, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

She meets his gaze, and they watch each other in a silent challenge before a knock on her bedroom's door breaks the spell.

And the voice she hears makes her blood run cold.

"Eleanor? Are you okay, my love?"

**Rogers.**

She meets Charles' eyes again, and he stares at her for a second before running to the balcony's door, opening the thick curtains. He's about to step outside and get away, but then the criminal stops, watching the usually empty pool area in horror.

There were servants cleaning it. There's no way he'll be able to escape.

He's trapped.

Turning around, his eyes settle on her phone, on the bedside table, and his jaw clenches.

While he was in the shower... He left her alone, with the phone within her reach.

Glancing back at her, he sees her wide eyes, filled with despair, a message clear in them.

_I didn't call him._

The arrogant idiot tries opening the door, raising his voice.

"Eleanor! Open the door, darling."

"Just a minute!" She says, trying to keep her voice as steady as she could, pointing towards her walk in closet.

"Please, Charles... Trust me." She whispers and he scoffs.

But he has no other choice.

Retrieving his gun from the desk near the bathroom, the criminal throws her one last glare before walking inside the closet and closing the door behind him.

Grabbing her bathrobe and putting it on, Eleanor unlocks the door, letting Rogers in before walking to sit on her bed, grimacing in pain with the effort of keeping herself from limping.

"I've been calling you since last night, love. Is everything okay?" He asks, eyeing her suspiciously and she shrugs.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just sick of my phone, so I turned it off."

"I see." He says, still looking somewhat suspicious, and her heart almost stops when he glances at the door to her closet.

The blonde watches in horror when he slowly makes his way over to it.

_Shit, shit, **shit.**_

Part of her is relieved that Charles has a gun with him, but is she ready to watch him kill Rogers?

Each step the man takes sends a wave of dread through her body.

"Woodes, what-"

"This one's new." He says, grabbing the short dress hanging on the doorknob. "Can't wait to see you wearing it. I'm sure you will look lovely."

Relief spreads inside her chest as he moves away from the door, but his next words make her nervous all over again.

"Though I'm sure it can't beat the sight of you in nothing but shorts and a bikini top." He flashes her a charming smile.

She's sure Charles is seething with anger at his words. And she's terrified he won't be able to resist the temptation of showing himself to Rogers, eager for a fight.

But thankfully, he doesn't.

And after a few minutes of small talk, she begins to fake yawns.

"You're pretty exhausted, aren't you, my love?"

"Yeah. I couldn't sleep too well last night."

He smiles softly, heading to the door.

"Get some sleep then. I will call you later, alright? There's some stuff I need to take care of."

She nods, watching as he closes the door behind him. Quickly getting up and walking to it, the blonde locks the door before limping towards her closet with a grimace.

As soon as she opens the door, she is met with the sight of Charles pointing his gun at her.

"It's okay. He's gone."

Sighing heavily, the criminal lowers the gun before walking back into her room, seeing for himself that she was saying the truth.

Eleanor sighs in relief, sitting on the bed and rubbing her forehead. "That was fucking close."

She meets his eyes, finding him staring at her in slight disbelief.

"What?"

"I was completely sure you would betray me tell him about me. I was sure that, any minute, he was going to open the door to the closet and find me. But he didn't."

A soft smile comes to her lips, hope sparking inside her chest.

He shakes his head.

"Don't think that this changes everything, Eleanor. I still don't trust you."

She nods softly. "I know."

_But it's a start._

Unable to contain herself, she gives him another soft smile.

Her heart feels so much lighter, and she's so happy, so relieved... Like she just passed a test.

Looking away, the blonde sighs.

"I feel disgusting." She says quietly, rubbing her swollen eyes. "Need a shower."

Eleanor gets up, the criminal watching her in silence.

She hesitates before speaking again. "Can you help me?"

A soft scowl comes to his face before he nods with a sigh, picking her up and carrying her inside the bathroom.

He undresses her wounds, inspecting them for a moment before they get in the shower.

Goosebumps erupt all over her body while he helps her wash herself and when he begins washing her hair, his hand massaging her scalp, she closes her eyes with a sigh, leaning back against his body.

She feels his lips against the skin of her neck, the criminal dropping a kiss and a soft bite to it before getting a grip on himself and stepping away from her.

But still, he keeps touching her almost the whole time, his hand on her arm to help her keep her balance.

She winces when he washes the cuts, careful not to reopen them.

"Hold on, Princess." His voice is barely audible, but she nods, squeezing her eyes shut, her nails digging into the skin of his shoulder while she prays it will be over soon.

"It's okay. It's over, Eleanor." He says after a few moments and she sighs in relief, opening her eyes and meeting his.

They stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, that deep bond between them scaring them both, just like it always does.

He brings a hand up to her face, brushing her wet hair behind her ear before caressing her chin with his thumb.

"You okay?" Her breath catches at the amount of honesty and concern in his voice and she nods softly, a smile tugging at her lips.

After they are done, the criminal helps her dry herself before picking her up and setting her on the counter again to take another look at the cuts, relieved to see that they are starting to heal.

Max brings food for them again, and they don't fail to see the happy glint in her eyes when she sees how different and easier the atmosphere between them is now.

After what happened earlier with Rogers, neither of them really wants to fight.

They spend the rest of their Sunday in peaceful silence, sometimes meeting each other's eyes for a few moments, in a challenge to see who would look away first. Sometimes he wins, sometimes she does.

And each time, a smile tugs at her lips.

It's been a while since the last time she felt such peace.

* * *

"Did you sleep with him?" His grave voice cuts the silence like a knife, just as she was about to fall asleep.

Eleanor lifts her head to look at him, a frown on her face. "What?"

"Rogers. How many times did you sleep with him already?"

The blonde scoffs, reveling in the sound of his heartbeat. She missed it so much.

"You mean in this life? If so, then none."

"You expect me to believe that?"

She shrugs. "It's the truth. If you don't want to believe it then that's your problem, not mine."

He considers her words. It doesn't sound like she's lying.

His thumb caresses her shoulder softly for a moment, lovingly, and she cherishes the feeling while it lasts because as soon as he realizes what he's doing, he stops.

"Go to sleep, lady Honeypot."

She's sure he feels the way she smiles into the skin of his chest. But she doesn't care.

All she cares about is how good it feels to finally fall asleep in the arms of the man she loves again.

* * *

The first lights of dawn filter in through a crack in the thick curtains, and Charles gets up with a sigh.

Richard will be home soon. He needs to go.

Glancing back over his shoulder at the sleeping blonde, the criminal tries to ignore the pang in his heart.

He really doesn't want to leave her.

A soft scowl comes to her perfect face and she opens her eyes, staring up at him.

"You leaving?" Her quiet voice is just another blow to his resolve, but he still resists.

"Your father will be here soon."

Fear flickers in her eyes. "Remember your promise."

He scoffs. "I won't hurt that sorry excuse of a man you call your father. Don't worry."

Just as he's about to open the balcony's door, her voice stops him.

"Charles?" She calls out hesitantly and he looks at her in question. "Um... Where... Where do we stand now? Are things between us still the same, or..."

"Are you asking if I forgive you?" She sighs, averting her eyes and he shakes his head. "The answer is no."

The words feel like a knife to her heart and she fights away the tears that gather in her eyes.

"But...?" She trails off, meeting his eyes again and he gives her a smirk that makes her breath catch.

"Don't push your luck, Miss Guthrie."

She's sure he gives her a brief wink before disappearing out the door.

And though she instantly misses his presence, as she lays down a smile refuses to leave her face.

She feels so different now. There's something in the air.

And strangely, it feels like happiness... It feels like  **hope.**

* * *

Riding away from the mansion on the motorcycle, Charles sees the black Camaro coming from the opposite direction.

As it passes just beside him, he can see the driver.

And his blood boils.

Richard Guthrie, looking just as regal, snob, arrogant and nauseating as he did three centuries ago, in his stupid business suit, talking on his stupid IPhone while driving, a sickening smile on his face.

Charles stops the motorcycle, looking back over his shoulder at the distancing Camaro.

His jaw clenches as he remember everything Eleanor told him about her father in this life.

About how he left her alone countless times, causing her so much suffering and pain throughout her existence.

About how he's pushing her towards Rogers.

His hands itch to kill him again, a cruel smirk coming to his face as he starts the motorcycle, thinking about the gun he has with him.

But then he remembers the promise he made to Eleanor.

And although part of him urges him to ignore it, after all, she betrayed him plenty of times too, another part tells him to stay put.

And for some reason, that's the part he listens to.

As he drives back to the hideout, trying to get his anger towards Richard under control, the criminal can feel some of the ice in his heart melting away.

And it makes him so damn frustrated, but deep down he knows; there's no use fighting this.

Eleanor is slowly crawling her way back inside his heart, whether he likes it or not, and there's nothing he can do about it.

_Who is he trying to fool?_

The painful truth is; she never really left his heart.

It seems that nothing can take her away from the spot she's been occupying in it for the last three centuries.

And as much as Charles wants to find the strength to fight against this feeling, there's just two simple words running through his mind right now.

_**"Screw it."** _


	34. Davina

"I want you to keep an eye on Eleanor. See how she's healing. Don't let her cut again. I took all the blades I could find with me when I left the mansion, but there could be more." Charles says, and Max chuckles on the other side of the line.

"She will be so angry with you when she finds out you did that."

He scoffs. "Tell me something I don't know. I'm used to her anger by now anyway."

"I promise to keep an eye on her and report back to you. Oh, and I have been talking to Anne. Slowly, I am starting to convince her that killing Eleanor would only bring trouble for you guys. I think soon you won't need to watch the mansion anymore... Unless you want to, of course." He can hear the smirk in her voice. It makes him want to kill someone.

"And why the fuck would I do that?" He snaps, hanging up on Max and glancing back over his shoulder as Mary approaches him.

"What happened to Eleanor?"

He frowns at her. "What?"

"Jack said there's only one possible explanation for what you did in the weekend. Leaving us hanging like that, and breaking your promise to help me. He said something must have happened to Eleanor, and that you ran to her rescue."

He clenches his jaw for a moment before sighing heavily, choosing to ignore what she said. "Any clues as to your girl's whereabouts?"

A sad glint comes to her eyes, her smirk dropping instantly as she shakes her head. "We still don't know where she could be. But..." She trails off, frowning as if realizing she was about to say something she couldn't.

He narrows his eyes at her. "There's something you're not telling me."

"Jack said you're going to freak out if you find out about this. He said you can't know."

"Know what?" He raises his voice, moving closer to her.

She merely shakes her head. "I can't tell you. You're gonna be mad with rage."

He scoffs at her. "Mary. I'm gonna be mad with rage if you don't tell me. Spit it out."

She watches his face for a moment before sighing heavily. "I told Jack about what happened to me. About how the owners of the Eurydice kept me trapped to try and torture answers out of me. We did some research, and... well..."

"Who? Who are them?" He asks, a shiver going down his spine.

"...It turns out, that the men who captured and tortured me are Woodes and Mason Rogers."

Charles takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and turning around before storming over to the nearest wall, punching it with all his strength.

"Yeah. That's exactly how Jack said you would react." Mary says, rubbing her forehead before cautiously making her way over to him.

After all the time they spent together, she knows it's better to be careful when his temper is flaring like this.

_"I wonder if this Eleanor woman also has to be careful, or if you would be unable to hurt her."_  She thinks, waiting silently to see if he would throw any more punches or if he was done.

After a few moments of the criminal clearly trying to get his anger under control, Mary is about to try saying something, but his grave voice cuts her off. "Davina must be at Rogers' mansion then. I know where it's located. I'll break into it tonight and find her for you. And with some luck, maybe I'll find that bastard too."

"No." Mary says, and he frowns at her before she continues. "Jack and I already tried finding out if she's in there. He has an old friend who works there, and the man said that he actually saw a little girl in the mansion a while ago, but then a woman came and took her away."

The criminal clenches his jaw with a sigh. "It will be harder than I thought then. Do you have a picture of her? I need to know what she looks like."

"Yeah, of course." The woman pulls out her phone.

"This is Davina. Isn't she beautiful?" Mary shows him the little girl's picture, eyes filled with tears, and Charles heart skips a beat when he sees her weirdly familiar blue eyes. Where does he know them from?

"Yes. She is."

And he's being completely honest.

Taking the phone from the woman's hands, the criminal stares at the home screen image.

A little girl, smiling, her dark hair in a stylish braid, piercing blue eyes the color of the Bahamas Sea glinting with joy. There's a determined glint in them, a strength...

"Holy shit." Mary says after a few moments of silence, taking the phone from him and holding it right beside his face, looking at Davina's picture, then at him, then at Davina again. "I always had the feeling I knew her eyes from somewhere. Charles, they look identical to yours. And not just the eyes... Her hair is the exact same color as yours too."

He scowls, moving away from her.

"Charles, is there... Is there any chance that you fathered a child 9 years ago?"

"No. And I never went to the Bahamas. I've never been to Nassau." Well, in this life, anyway. "So no, this girl is not my daughter."

Mary scoffs. "You sure? Because she definitely has your temper too. Wait until you meet her. You'll see what I'm talking about."

"That probably comes from you. Jack always said you and I are too alike. And you've been raising her for the last three years. Of course the child would start acting like you after a while."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. She doesn't 'act like' anyone. She's her own person. She always was. Ever since I found her on that beach, back in Nassau, she already had her strong personality."

"She's not my daughter, Mary!"

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"I just know!"

"Don't you raise your voice with me! It's not my fault if you slept with half the women in this city, and pretty much every other city you visit. One of them could have moved to Nassau, who knows?"

"The girl's not my daughter and that's final." He says, lighting a cigarette and giving her a warning filled look. "And if you still want my help with finding your adoptive child, you better not try to touch this subject again."

* * *

"Sweetie? You need to eat."

Davina throws the woman in the doorway a nasty look. "Leave me alone."

"Please. What do you like? I'll make anything you want, and you can have some ice cream later."

At her words, the 9 year old looks up, not losing the unfriendly look. But clearly, her interest was piqued.

The woman smiles. "There. You want it, don't you?"

"Fine. I'll eat. But I will watch you cook to make sure you won't put anything in the food."

The woman frowns as they make their way to the kitchen. "What happened to make you so suspicious? I never met a child like you before."

Davina scoffs, watching closely as she begins to cook their lunch. "I know what you're doing, Sarah. Trying to earn my trust. And look, I don't really like people, so don't even bother."

Sarah raises her eyebrows at her harsh words, and silence stretches for a few minutes before the hardened little girl speaks again.

"Why did you bring me here? Where is the man who took me to that mansion?"

"You mean Woodes? He's my ex-husband. He asked me to take care of you for now. I don't know when you'll see him again."

Davina thinks about her situation. She wants Mary. The urge to just throw herself to the floor and cry like any other child is so strong, she's so scared and worried, she misses her adoptive mother...

Tears burn in her eyes, but she fights against the desire of letting them out, knowing she needs to think about a plan. Wasting her time crying like a baby would get her nowhere.

She's a big girl. She needs to act like one.

So she starts thinking about everything that happened since her and Mary were captured by the two mean men.

Woodes... He was probably her best chance at being reunited with Mary. She knows that while she stays here with Sarah, there's no way she'll be able to get any information about her adoptive mother's whereabouts.

No. She needs to be reunited with Mr. Rogers, he knows where Mary is. She needs to find a way to make him come to her, without making it look like she was rebelling. Mary would pay for it if she made a wrong move, she knows.

An idea comes to her mind, and she takes advantage of the tears still glinting in her eyes.

"Sarah?" She says in the most innocent, sad voice she can, and the woman glances back at her over her shoulder, frowning when she notices the tears in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I... I miss Woodes... Do you think you can ask him to come see me?"

It disgusts her to say the words. But she knows it's the only way.

Sarah's eyes soften at that, and she nods.

"Of course, sweetheart. I'll call him and see when he can come over, alright? It may take a while though; he's a very busy man..." She turns around to continue cooking, going on and on about how her ex-husband keeps the peace in the city, and Davina smirks.

One of the perks of being a child. All you need to do is fake weakness, and the grown ups will believe you, never even suspecting you have any ulterior motives.

_Part one: Done._

Now she needs to think about what she's going to tell Mr. Rogers when he comes to see her.

Davina knows he's the only one who can lead her to Mary.

And soon that monster is going to regret what he did to them.

No one messes with Davina Sierra and Mary Read.

_No one._

* * *

"Fucking bastard took all of my blades with him." Eleanor says with a shake of her head as she inspects the cabinet in her bathroom, causing Max to chuckle from her bed.

"That's sweet. He was worried about you cutting again."

The blonde bites her lip for a moment, sighing before schooling her face into a more neutral expression and walking back into her room. "My father said it was really cold in London this time, he-"

A scoff from Max interrupts her words, and her friend lays down on the bed with a laugh before speaking.

"You really think you'll escape, huh?"

"What?"

"Vane spent the whole weekend in here with you. You need to tell me everything!"

Eleanor watches her in disbelief for a few seconds. "Seriously? Now that I'm finally free from Idelle, you'll take her place?"

She walks to stare out the balcony's door, a frown refusing to leave her face. "Max, since when did you become our biggest, uh... shipper?" Eleanor never thought she would say this word. But it's the only one that describes what she wanted to say.

"Since I saw that idiot destroy you three centuries ago, and then I saw Vane make you get better in this life, he helped you find that fire again, the strength to fight for your freedom. How can I possibly not want you two together? Eleanor, you are miserable without him. Before the memories came back, you were so happy. Oh, and he's miserable without you too."

The blonde scoffs. "Yeah, right. He doesn't give a shit about me."

"Actually... There were like five times already that I went to the hideout to see Anne, and found Vane in a... deplorable state. Passed out from drinking, sometimes from opium too, and Anne would say that it was all because of you."

Her heart clenches, and she tries to ignore the urge of going to him, to see if he was okay.

"It's as clear as the light of day, mon ange. You two get worse when you're forced apart. I know you think he hates you, and while that may be true, think about what he did this weekend. He took care of you, he helped you, he stayed by your side."

Eleanor sighs heavily, knowing she was right.

What would have happened to her if it wasn't for Charles coming to her rescue?

Even with his help, it was already hard to stop the bleeding.

She had been in shock. There's no way she would have been able to treat the wounds on her own.

Eleanor suddenly realizes that if it wasn't for him, she would probably have passed out, staying there on her bathroom floor until her father or worse, Rogers, found her and took her to the hospital.

Right now, she could be either enduring their endless ranting, their disapproving looks, and preparing herself to be sent to a mental hospital, or...

She could be dead.

Or half dead, at least.

She owes Charles a lot, and it makes her so fucking angry.

But at the same time, it makes her heart feel lighter.

"What are your plans now? You said Rogers drugged you. Do you still want to marry that monster?" Max asks cautiously and the blonde scoffs, moving to sit on the bed beside her friend.

"He's not a monster. Don't call him that. He saved my life three centuries ago, remember?"

Max lets out a dry, hollow laugh. "Big deal! Only to put you in danger's way and cause your death later? What a hero he is!"

Tears burn in Eleanor's eyes at the harsh words. "Flint said-"

"Don't lie to yourself. Please. You're smart. You know the truth."

She shakes her head with a sigh, covering her face with her hands, and Max touches her shoulder reassuringly before speaking again. "You know what your problem is, Eleanor? You desperately sought happiness after killing a part of you that was too important. You thought you could get away with it and move on, but you were just living a lie. And I think that, deep down, you knew that. It made you crazy, didn't it? Deep down, you knew you had made a really,  _really_  huge mistake, but you tried to pretend everything was just fine. That must have been completely exhausting."

"You want to know what's exhausting? To deal with all these conflicting emotions and feelings. I want to be rational, to choose the most logical and prudent path, to marry Woodes... Stay with him and my father, keep the Company and watch it grow even more under our management... Maybe start a family eventually, make my father proud... Have the life I always wanted, that is, the life I always wanted until I..."

"...Until you found Vane again."

Her heavy sigh is the only confirmation Max needs.

Silence reign for a few minutes, a million thoughts running through Eleanor's mind before she finally speaks again. "I don't know what I feel, Max. I hate him... But at the same time, I don't want to be away from him. I just can't ignore the huge relief I feel whenever I see him,  _alive_ , breathing, every time I hear his heart beating. And how awful I feel when I see the birthmark around his neck. It's like a punch to my stomach."

"You feel guilty. Just like you always did. At least know you know the reason. Did you regret what you did to him back then?"

It takes a few moments until she finally nods, slowly, tear coming to her eyes. "When I was dying... I felt so small... I thought about what could have been, about how I could be out there, on a ship somewhere in the middle of the ocean, with him,  _free_... It was all I wanted in that moment, all I could think about, that and my baby, my poor baby..." The tears flow freely and she falls silent, trying to get them under control as Max watches her closely with a scowl on her face, not daring to say anything.

"You know, sometimes..." She continues in a quiet voice. "...when I was pretending to be something I wasn't, sometimes in the silence of the night, after Woodes was sleeping, I allowed my mind to wander... I would think about the life I could be having, if only I made different choices. It was the only thing that kept me sane, those stolen moments... I saw his face in my dreams, he haunted me constantly, and it made me crazy... I hated him for it, so fucking much, I hated the fact that he couldn't leave me alone, even after his death. But as hard as I tried to ignore it, I knew... I needed him. I knew that, every time I was sitting there in silence, knitting like some fucking docile housewife. I knew that my wings had been taken away, and it was all my own fault. I knew that... Had I chosen Charles, that would have never happened. And yes, alright? It killed me. It killed me slowly, day after day, week after week. Sometimes I was so desperate, I prayed for his face to vanish from my dreams, because it hurt too much. But it never happened. He haunted me until the moment of my death. And I regretted everything."

She takes a deep, shuddering breath, not meeting Max's eyes. Clearly, admitting all of this took a huge toll on her.

"You're lucky Idelle isn't here. I'm sure by now her phone would already be playing Britney's 'Everytime'." Max says, wanting to lighten the mood, and the blonde lets out a brief, dry chuckle, trying to ignore the pang in her heart. She misses Idelle, too.

"I'm so proud of you, Eleanor. I truly am. You finally admitted your true feelings, not only to me, but to yourself. It may have taken you three centuries to do so, but now you did." The blonde looks at her face, a lone tear running down her cheek, and Max gives her a sad little smile before continuing. "I'm glad you finally found the courage to say all of this out loud. But mon ange... It's not to me you need to say all this stuff..." She says, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her friend's ear. "...It's to Vane. And I just hope you will be able to do it soon. Before it is too late once more."

* * *

Charles gives a low growl of warning when he sees Jack glancing at his face and then at Davina's picture, a suspicious look in his eyes.

"What? It's a possibility, you know. The girl has your hair and your eyes. I can see many other similarities too. The shape of her eyes is a copy of yours, she has your mouth... And those cheekbones-"

"Fuck you, Jack."

His accomplice chuckles. "Yeah, yeah. Now I really want to find this kid. This is going to be interesting."

He takes a step back when his leader gives him a nasty look, just as the front door opens, Mary and Anne walking into the hideout.

"Darling! Take a look at this, and tell me what you think." Jack says with a smirk, handing her Mary's phone. "Who does Davina look like?"

The redhead stares at the picture for a moment before glancing at their leader's face with a wicked glint in her eyes. "Serves you right for sleeping with half the women in LA."

"Only LA? You're being too generous, this is not like you." Jack winks at her.

"She's not my daughter!"

"What, are you afraid of what Eleanor will think when she finds out?" His accomplice asks, earning him a sharp elbow to the ribs from Anne.

"Don't say her name, it makes me want to kill someone." The redhead seethes.

Mary clears her throat. "Are we going to start looking for my baby girl or not?"

Charles tosses his cigarette out the window, moving closer to them. "Yes. But first, let's have a little talk. We're looking for someone too, Mary, and we think you may be able to help."

"Yeah, I remember you said that. Who is this person?"

"His name is Edward Teach. We know he was involved with Somali pirates and the black market, but that was years ago. We have no idea what he does now, or if that's still the case."

The woman thinks for a moment before shaking her head with a sigh.

"What? Is he dead?" Jack asks and she bites her lip before speaking.

"No. He's alive. But... I don't know if I can help. Yes, I heard of him, my cousin and the other pirates talked about him a lot, he's... kind of their leader, but people hardly ever see him. You see, they have sort of... A secret base, I don't know, in Somalia. That's where Teach stays. He takes care of all their problems, and from what I heard, he's still involved with the black market. He has a boat too, and he sometimes takes it out into the open ocean. But that's pretty much all I know."

"That's already a huge help. Thank you." Jack says with a laugh, clapping his hands once. "Well! Now all we need to do is find Davina, then we'll get a boat and be on our way. I imagine you want to go back home, right, Mary?"

"Ugh, more than anything. I hate this place. All I want is to go home with my little girl."

"You helped us, and you shall have your reward. As soon as we find Charles' mini-me..." His leader growls again, and Jack's smirk only widens. "...we'll get a boat and leave for Somalia. You, me, Anne, Charles and Davina. We'll be fine."

"What do you guys want with Teach?" Mary asks, no one noticing the pain that flickers in Charles' eyes while they talk about leaving LA behind.

_Leaving Eleanor behind..._

"Charles found out he was the one who left him at the orphanage. He's his uncle." Anne says and Mary's eyes widen slightly.

"Wow. Small world."

* * *

**2 days later**

Sarah still has no idea how the kid managed to convince her. Woodes' orders had been clear. She was not supposed to leave the house. But somehow, the little girl convinced her to bring her to the park.

And Davina is ecstatic about it. She loves to see just how big her power of persuasion is.

And she had no ulterior motive this time, she just wanted some fresh air. While the urge to run away is big, she knows it would be a stupid move. This is her first time in this big city, she wouldn't know where to go, how to find Mary on her own. And besides, her adoptive mother would be punished as soon as Mr. Rogers found out she ran away from Sarah.

Her best bet is to wait until that idiot comes to see her.

Looking behind her shoulder, she sees Sarah sitting in a bench, reading a book, completely distracted.

The little girl sighs, leaving the swings to go play somewhere else, but as she begins to run, she trips over a rock, landing on her knees. Tear burn in her eyes and she hisses in pain, just as someone runs to her aid.

"You alright, sweetheart?" She glances up at the blonde woman helping her, and for some reason, the blue-green eyed beauty stops, frowning when she sees Davina's eyes.

But the moment is soon gone, as the woman shakes her head before forcing a smile. "You look like someone I lo... someone I know."

The blonde sits down in front of her. "I'm Eleanor. Can I take a look at your knee? I promise not to touch it."

The girl scowls at her for a moment before nodding.

"What's your name? I've never seen you here." Eleanor says, looking at the bruise on her knee.

"I'm Davina. Davina Sierra."

"That's a really beautiful name. Are you from here?"

"No. I'm from Nassau."

Eleanor's breath catches and she looks up from the bruise to meet her eyes.

"Nassau?" Her voice is quiet, and Davina sees the way her eyes fill with tears.

_What a strange woman._

But she soon hides her emotions, forcing another smile. "In the Bahamas, right? It's a wonderful place. I hope to visit it soon."

The little girl is about to reply when Sarah's voice reaches their ears, the woman running up to them. "Davina! Are you okay?"

Eleanor helps her get up from the ground, smiling briefly at the other woman. "She's fine. It's just a little bruise."

"Thank you for helping her." Sarah says, a strange look on her face.

"It's no problem. Your daughter is beautiful."

"She's not my daughter. But thanks." She says, pulling Davina away from the blonde, and the girl doesn't fail to recognize the hostility in her voice.

Apparently, Eleanor notices it too, as she lifts her chin in defiance. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Eleanor Guth-"

Sarah scoffs, cutting her off. "Oh, I know who you are. Darling, can I give you a little advice? Be careful."

The blonde frowns at her. "And what should I be careful about?

"Woodes. I happen to be his ex-wife."

The blonde's eyes widen slightly, but she's quick to regain her composure.

"I know that he seems like a perfect gentleman, but... trust me. He's manipulative, and he can be really nasty if he doesn't get everything he wants. He has this problem, of always wanting things exactly his way, and getting angry when that doesn't happen... Don't let that handsome face fool you, alright? He lies, and he manipulates. Just be careful."

Eleanor seems to consider her words for a moment before smirking at her. "You know what I think you're trying to do here? Pushing me away from Woodes so you can get you hands on him again."

Davina looks between the two women, trying to contain the smirk tugging at her lips. This is getting interesting; will she see a fight soon?

She hopes so.

But before they can say anything else, another woman arrives, touching Eleanor's shoulder. She's probably her sister. Their eyes are identical, and their faces are similar too, though the newly arrived woman looks a bit older.

"Is everything okay in here?"

Eleanor clenches her jaw before scoffing softly. "Everything's wonderful, Caroline. I was just having a little... chat with Sarah. She's Woodes' ex-wife. How crazy is that?"

Caroline raises her eyebrows before glancing at Sarah, anger flickering in her eyes. "Do you want him back? If so, then be my guest, he's all yours. I'll be happy to see Eleanor dodge that bullet."

"Caroline!" The blonde says, throwing her a glare.

A smirk comes to Sarah's face. "You should listen to your friend, child. Looks like you're too young and naive, life still has a lot to teach you. Good luck with my ex-husband. Come along, Davina."

Sarah walks away from the two women, pulling the girl with her.

As they head back to the car, Davina glances back at Eleanor over her shoulder.

For some reason, she feels like the blonde is going to help her, and she has the feeling she'll see her again.

And also, the girl is not sure why, but there's something about Eleanor that draws her in. She likes her already.

She really, really does.


	35. Our Strange Duet

Mary lets her head drop to the table with a frustrated sigh.

It's been four days of searching and there's still no sign of Davina.

"We'll find her. I promise. In a month or so, we'll be in Somalia, and your little girl will be with us." Jack says while Charles lights a cigarette.

"Before we go there... There's somewhere I want to visit first." The criminal says and his accomplice frowns.

"Please tell me it's not-"

"Nassau."

Jack sighs heavily. "Going there will only cause painful memories to resurface, Charles."

"I need to see that place again. We're going there and it's final." He snaps, leaving the hideout.

* * *

Davina tries her best to keep her innocent façade while Mr. Rogers and Sarah talk, knowing she needs to be careful while the woman is around.

One wrong move, and Mary will pay for it.

But as soon as Sarah leaves them alone, the little girl gives him an angry glare.

He scoffs at her, sitting down on the chair in front of her bed. "What do you want, you little pest?"

"I want Mary! Where is she, what did you do to her?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "And you think I'm going to tell you? Stupid kid, you won't see your precious adoptive mommy again, unless she tells us where our family heirloom is."

"But we don't know where it is! We only saw it one time!"

"You see, something as valuable as that... The pirates probably took it to their leader. That's what I want to know, who that leader is, and where to find him."

"Did my mama say anything?"

Rogers hesitates for a moment, clenching his jaw, and a smile comes to Davina's face as something clicks in her head.

"She didn't... Because you don't have her anymore, right? She ran away. I knew she would, my mama is-"

Her words are cut off when the man gets up abruptly, storming over to the bed and slapping her face.

It hurts and tears burn in her eyes, but she refuses to cry in front of him. Instead, she smirks in triumph, knowing this only confirmed her suspicions.

Seeing this, Rogers scoffs in disbelief, raising his hand to hit her again, but then... His eyes cloud over as he watches her face and he blinks hard, his balance faltering for a second before he rubs his forehead, trying to regain his composure.

When he speaks, his tone sends a wave of dread straight to the girl's heart.

"I have seen your eyes before, you stupid brat. Where?"

"How can I know that?"

"Stop trying to be smart. I know I saw those sickening blue eyes somewhere before. But they belonged to a man..." He trails off, gripping his forehead again. In his mind, images are flashing. A ruined carriage. A fight. A long haired man. He needs to know what his face looks like, he needs to remember... But he can't. All he knows is that he hates this man.

Groaning in frustration, his anger is only intensified when he sees Davina staring up at him, watching him as if he was crazy.

"What are you looking at? You better be careful, or I'll hit you again."

The little girl gets to her feet, standing up on the bed so she was the same height as him, crossing her arms and refusing to avert her eyes. "I am not afraid of you."

He scoffs, looking like he was about to hit her again, but her next words stop him.

"If you touch me again, I will cry and tell Sarah. She will be angry with you. Now that I know my mama escaped, I'm one step ahead, right, Mr. Rogers?"

She sounds so pleased with herself. Rogers clenches his jaw, storming out of the room.

Laughing to herself, Davina jumps on the bed once before sitting back down, searching the pockets of her little brown leather jacket, looking for the coin she found 2 years ago on the beach back in Nassau.

Once she finds it, the girl begins to play with it, trying to make it roll across her knuckles with some difficulty and groaning in frustration when she keeps letting it fall. She's still learning how to do this, but she saw it in  _Constantine,_  a movie she watched with Mary. Since then, for some reason, playing with this coin became her way to comfort herself when she was sad, scared or anxious about something. And soon she will be able to do it perfectly.

Tears come to her eyes when she thinks about her adoptive mama. Davina misses her so much. But she refuses to cry, her smirk returning as she watches the coin in her fingers.

Mary is out there looking for her, she knows.

And soon, they will be reunited so they can finally go back home.

* * *

Eleanor needed a break.

She just needed to stay away from the mansion for one night, away from her father and from Rogers. They were talking too much about the wedding, and considering how conflicted she feels, this is just too painful.

Every time she looks at Rogers' face, she remembers his betrayal, how he drugged her, twice, possibly.

Can she trust a man who does this sort of thing?

As much as she wishes she could just forget about this, she can't. And it's so frustrating.

As soon as she made the decision to stay away from the mansion tonight, there was a pang in her heart.

Before the memories came back, when she wanted to get away for the night, she always knew who to run to.

_Charles._

He would take her to one the hideouts, or to the beach, and they would have a great time together.

She misses everything about him. The strong arms holding her protectively during the night, keeping her safe from the nightmares. That infuriating half smirk whenever he teased her about something. The way his arms would tighten around her every time she said something about Rogers. The taste of the cigarettes when she kissed him. Running her hands through his long hair. Riding on the motorcycle with him, the thrill of it. She misses the way he always made her feel so sated and relaxed whenever they slept together. She just misses him.

But obviously, she can't go to him anymore.

That's why she ran to Max, and Idelle was less than thrilled to have her here at their house, especially since this was their movie night. But she didn't care. She just needed a break.

For some reason, Idelle decided she wanted to watch a musical, and she chose the Phantom of the Opera. The woman drank for most of the movie, having stopped twice to smoke a joint. She offered it to Max and Eleanor too, but they decided to just stick to the rum.

They were currently watching the last scene that showed the Phantom's lair, Christine giving him the ring before leaving him.

Idelle scoffs. "Christine Daaé is such an idiot."

"Oh boy, here we go." Max sighs.

"Seriously, she is! I mean, the Phantom knew her like no one else, he protected her, he loved her and would have done anything for her. Not to mention, they both loved the same thing: music. They were a perfect match. She should have stayed with him. But did she? No..." She pauses to down her glass of rum and Eleanor closes her eyes while rubbing her forehead, knowing full well where this was going.

Idelle sets the glass on the coffee table before continuing. "Nope. Instead, she ran off with some little rich prick, with his fancy clothes, his fancy words and his fancy horses. Bet she spent the rest of her life unhappy. All because she had to betray the man who loved her with all his heart. Sounds familiar, Eleanor?"

Max gives her a stern look and she gets up while the blonde sighs heavily.

"What kind of a name is Raoul DeChagny anyway? This shit is sick." The dark haired woman complains, slurring and stumbling ligthly. "What kind of a name is Woodes? What's the matter with these people, I can't even..." Her voice keeps fading as she heads off to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her with a loud bang.

They can still hear her as she keeps talking nonsense to herself inside the bathroom, not really able to understand her words.

Eleanor sighs heavily, leaning forward and burying her face in her hands, and Max's face softens as she watches her.

"Don't mind her. She's just drunk... And high."

"She's right." Eleanor says quietly, looking over at her friend. "I was an idiot. I know that. I can see it now."

"Yes. You were an idiot. But don't be so hard on yourself. You weren't thinking clearly, mon ange. Your grief made you blind. But you're here again, and you're making the right choices now. You can't really fix the past, but at least you are fixing your mistakes."

She scoffs.

"Except for the one mistake I really wish I could fix." She says, pain spreading in her chest while they hear Idelle's phone ring in the bathroom.

"I believe that if two people are truly meant to be together, they eventually find their way back to one another, no matter what happens. I mean, look at your situation. Three centuries later, fate brought you and Vane back together. And once more, you two were instantly drawn to each other. This has to mean something, don't you think?" Max says and she shrugs.

"I do admit Idelle is right about something though." She begins with a smirk and Eleanor looks at her. "What kind of a name is Woodes?"

The blonde laughs briefly with her friend, shaking her head, the sound of a motorcycle stopping outside the house reaching their ears just as Idelle rushes to the front door.

"Idelle, where do you think you're going? You're drunk and it's two in the morning!" Max says sternly and she rolls her eyes.

"I won't go anywhere, I'll just talk to Captain Vane for a bit."

Eleanor's heart skips a bit and her mouth parts as she immediately looks up at the dark haired woman.

"He's here?" The words leave her mouth before she can try to stop them.

"Yeah, he's outside. We've been trying to track down more people from our past."

"I could help-"

"You helped enough already, don't you think?" She says in a harsh tone and the blonde clenches her jaw. "Besides, he really wants to find Blackbeard, so that's our main focus right now. And I doubt you'll want to face Teach. So stay out of this, Miss Guthrie."

She heads out the door, slamming it shut behind her and Eleanor closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to control her temper.

"How long has this been going on?" She asks and Max grimaces.

"Amost two weeks."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew it wouldn't do you any good."

The blonde shakes her head with a scowl. "He will leave the city. Won't he?"

Max sighs, hesitating, and Eleanor gives her a stern look. "Don't hide anything from me."

"Alright, well... A few days ago, I heard him and Idelle talking outside. They were making plans."

"What plans?"

"He says that he, Jack and Anne are growing restless staying here. He says that life stuck in this big city, in dry land, is not for them. And they want to... leave. Get a boat and go... There"

Her heart clenches and her breath catches.

"Nassau..." She whispers quietly and Max nods

"Yes. He has a lead on Teach, now he and his accomplices are trying to take care of something, but as soon as they do that, they are going to get a boat. Then they will leave here. They're going back there."

Dread settles in her stomach as a thought comes to her mind.

"Do you think... They're planning on taking it back?"

"I don't know... I hope not, but..." She trails off and Eleanor lets out a shuddering breath.

"They can't... It will be a disaster, that place is too civilized now, they will get themselves killed!" Much to her annoyance, her voice breaks, blue-green eyes filling with tears.

"You think I don't know that? I'm worried sick about Anne." Max says with a scowl, looking down at her fingers as Eleanor gets up, heading to the front door.

"Eleanor, don't!" Her friend says in an urgent tone, grabbing one of her arms just as she reaches the door.

"Vane hasn't been in a good mood lately. God only knows what he'll do to you!" She says, dragging the blonde back to the couch.

* * *

Outside, Charles smokes a cigarette, quietly watching as Idelle runs her fingers over the handles of the motorcycle, a few feet away from him.

"Guess who's inside there." She rolls her eyes, gesturing over her shoulder to the house. When he just raises an eyebrow in question, she continues. "That blonde traitor."

His heart skips a beat and he glances at the house before shaking his head.

"Did you find anything?" He asks, finishing the cigarette and she grimaces.

"Not really. I've been going to a spiritist house, to see if they can help me track down people from my past, but I think it won't work. Guess we're gonna have to do this on our own. What about you?"

He shakes his head briefly, looking up at the stars for a moment. "As I said before, we have a lead on Teach, but there's something we need to take care of before we can leave."

She sighs. "We won't stop. They're out there somewhere, and we're gonna find them."

He nods, glancing back at the house before meeting Idelle's eyes. She smirks and begins to make her way over to him. "So... Do you want any company tonight?"

A smirk tugs at his lips before he touches her chin, only to pull away a second later, making his way to the motorcycle.

"Tell her to come out here."

Idelle frowns at him. "Excuse me?"

"Eleanor. I need to talk to her."

She scoffs. "Are you serious?"

He gives her a hard look and she sighs, rolling her eyes before making her way to the door and opening it. "Hey traitor! Captain Vane wants to talk to you."

He hears the unmistakable sound of her footsteps, turning around to see her standing there at the door, staring at him, eyes shining with a mix of emotions she's trying hard to mask.

But from him, she can never hide.

"Leave us alone, Idelle." He says and the woman groans.

"Fine. She's all yours." She turns to the blonde with a wicked smirk. "I'm off to bed. Have a good night, Mrs. Rogers."

Eleanor clenches her jaw, feeling her blood run cold as the dark haired woman goes back inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

Slowly looking up at Charles again, she finds him with his jaw clenched hard as well, eyes filled with anger, no doubt because of what Idelle had just called her.

This sure was yet another painful reminder of what happened 3 centuries ago.

He meets her eyes, the anger still evident in every muscle of his body.

_Great._

She raises her chin at him, approaching slowly and carefully. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

He stares at her for a moment, lighting another cigarette. She watches as he puts it between his lips, trying to ignore the shiver that goes down her spine at the thought of what that mouth could do.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm her traitorous heart, she patiently waits.

Finally, he blows out smoke, sighing briefly before speaking.

"How are the cuts?"

She scoffs in disbelief. "Seriously? You called me out here just to ask about-"

"Eleanor." He interrupts her words and she sighs, knowing from the look in his eyes that he was serious.

"They're fine. I'm still in pain, but they're getting better, slowly. Most of them are healing perfectly."

"'Most' of them?"

"Except for one. That big, deep one that wouldn't stop bleeding. It reopened twice during the week, while I moved in my sleep. But I think now it's starting to heal too."

He frowns, gesturing to the motorcycle seat. "Sit."

She raises an eyebrow at him but obeys anyway and Charles wordlessly hands her his cigarette, looking around to make sure the streets were empty before lifting her skirt and exposing her scarred thighs to the cool night air.

Eleanor silently watches as he inspects the healing cuts before focusing his attention on the biggest one.

His hands are warm against the soft skin of her thighs and she bites her lips, shivering at his touch, silently wishing he would move his hands just a little to the side, a bit higher-

"It's starting to heal." His deep voice says suddenly, bringing her out of her thoughts. "It should be fine from now on." He says, letting go of her thighs and letting the skirt cover them again. She nods quietly, handing him the cigarette.

As she watches him smoke, a thought comes to her mind.

"Do you still know how to... Do that thing?" She asks and he pauses for a moment, knowing what she's talking about. The criminal sighs before deciding to humor her, taking a drag and blowing out a ring of smoke.

Her eyes darken as she watches this, swallowing briefly and not breaking eye contact.

He always knew what this little trick did to her.

They watch each other as the moments drag by, an unspoken challenge between them.

_Fuck it._

He tosses the cigarette away and parts her legs. Surprise flickers in her eyes, her breath catching while he steps between her thighs and crashes his lips against hers.

She's frozen for half a second before responding eagerly, wrapping her legs around his hips.

Tears burn in her eyes as she moves her hands to his hair, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

One of his hands move to her lower back, pulling her closer, but the other... it comes to rest over her injured thigh, and he's careful not to press it too hard. It feels more like a caring gesture, and her tears almost run down her face at this.

His tongue traces her lower lip, demanding entrance, which she immediately grants. The groan of satisfaction that leaves the criminal when he tastes the rum on her tongue goes straigh to her core, her legs tightening around his hips.

He has her breathless in less than a minute and when she breaks the kiss for air, he wastes no time, using the opportunity to trail kisses and bites down her neck, the hand on her thigh moving under her shirt.

This must be a dream... But if it is, Eleanor really,  _really_  doesn't want to wake up.

Her hands tangle in his long hair, the blonde wanting to make sure he's not going anywhere.

She's just too desperate for him.

"Charles..." She breathes out, eyes closed, clinging to him, her tears starting to win.

"Shh..." He whispers against the skin of her neck, sending shivers down her spine, a sigh of satisfaction escaping her lips when she feels him expertly unclasping her bra with one hand.

She opens her eyes, looking around quickly, checking if they were still alone in the dark street. Seeing that the coast was clear, she lets herself enjoy this stolen moment of paradise, her eyes falling closed again as his hand moves to her right breast, squeezing it with just the right amount of pressure.

How come he always knows exactly what she needs and what she wants?

She can't help the soft moan that leaves her when he rolls her hard nipple between his fingers, his lips not stopping their assault on her neck for a second, a smile tugging at her lips when he sucks a mark on the sensitive skin.

And another, and  _another._

She's breathing heavily by now, heat spreading through her veins as she pulls on his hair, causing him to lift his head from her neck. The criminal scowls at the tear rolling down her cheek but Eleanor distracts him from it, kissing him as if her life depended on it.

_She just missed him so fucking much..._

A car honks in the distance, causing the blonde to jump slightly, a heavy sigh leaving the criminal as he breaks their kiss.

They almost forgot they are in public.

Eleanor stares at his face in silence, their eyes locked, neither willing to be the first to look away.

And for the first time, the blonde notices just how much Charles has changed since their memories came back.

He let his beard grow a little, the usual black leather jacket had been replaced by a brown one, and now he wore his hair in the same style as he did in his past life, instead of just keeping it loose like he did before.

Her breath catches when she notices that now he looks just like the pirate he had been three centuries ago.

_The pirate he still is._

Looking at him like this, it almost feels as if she's back in her previous life... as if she's back home.

Another tear escapes her eye and Charles frowns, making her freeze in surprise and disbelief when he kisses away the tear rolling down her left cheek while using his thumb to wipe the one on her right cheek.

"What's going on in here, Charles?" She asks in a barely audible whisper, unable to stop herself, and he stares at her face for a moment before sighing.

"Wish I knew."

She shakes her head lightly, pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss, much different from the one they shared minutes ago.

All she wants to do is ask him to take her to the other hideout. But she has no idea how he would react, and in her current fragile state, Eleanor doesn't think she can handle the pain of his rejection.

So she bites her tongue, keeping her mouth shut while he brushes her hair behind her ear.

The urge to ask him about his plans of leaving LA is strong too, and Max's advice comes to her mind.

_"It's not to me you need to say all this stuff. It's to Vane. And I just hope you will be able to do it soon. Before it is too late once more."_

_**Too late...** _

Her heart skips a beat as she realizes something.

She's being given a second chance.

After admitting her true feelings during her talk with Max, the blonde saw just how much she wished she had made different choices back in her previous life. How much she wished she had done something to keep Charles alive. But it had been too late.

_And now..._

He obviously still loves her.

But he's going to leave the country. He's going to leave  _her._

Unless she does something about it, unless she swallows her pride and tells him what she told Max.

But can she do that?

_Before it is too late..._

The Company, Rogers and her father... Or Charles?

She takes a shuddering breath, her chest tightening painfully at the mere thought of having to make that decision, and his thumb caresses her chin, the criminal watching her face closely, as if trying to decipher her inner conflict.

She meets his gaze and he raises an eyebrow, as if daring her to say what was on her mind, challenging her...

_Please don't go... Please don't leave me._

She can't say it.

His patience is running thin.

_I love you..._

She just can't.

Eleanor averts her eyes with a sigh, feeling him tighten his grip on her lower back for a moment before he shakes his head.

The criminal lifts her from the motorcycle seat to set her on her feet, a smug smirk tugging at his lips for a second when he sees how unsteady her legs still are from their activities a few minutes ago.

She watches him in silence while he puts on his helmet and gets on the motorcycle.

Charles gives her one last glance before speeding off.

Her eyes follow the motorcycle until it disappears from sight, a heavy sigh leaving her lips while she heads back inside the house.

She finds Max near the window with a knife in her hands and a frown comes to her face.

"Were you spying on us?"

Her friend grimaces.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure he wouldn't do anything to you." She explains, setting the knife on the coffee table and the blonde shakes her head, reaching behind her back.

"I'm okay. Help me with my bra?" She asks with a playful frown and Max laughs, walking behind her so she could clasp it for her.

"See? I told you everything would be just fine between you and Vane."

A sad glint comes to Eleanor's eyes and she wraps her arms around herself. "If everything was 'just fine', right now I would be at the hideout with him, finishing what we started out there on the motorcycle."

"Give him some time, Eleanor. You know how he is. It will take him a while to overcome what happened three centuries ago. But you need to cooperate too. Don't think I didn't see the inner conflict you were going through out there."

"What do you mean?" The blonde asks, faking ignorance, and Max rolls her eyes.

"Don't even try. I know you. I saw it in your eyes. You wanted to open up and tell him about your feelings."

She averts her eyes and Max sighs in concern. "Remember the time is running, Eleanor. You need to work on this, to be able to tell him all that stuff, before he leaves the country. Before it's too late again."

The blonde shakes her head, exhaustion taking her over. "Can we just go to bed?"

Max's eyes soften at the sound of her tired voice and she nods, offering her friend a gentle smile as they make their way to the bedroom.

Later, when Eleanor lays in bed unable to sleep, listening to Max's even breathing beside her and Idelle mumbling nonsense from the other bed, a million thoughts run through the blonde's mind.

She doesn't want to leave her father, or the Company. It's crazy.

But is she ready to watch Charles leave her behind? Would she ever see him again?

And the worst part is; she knows that if she choses this path again, if she marries Woodes, she will live haunted by regret and the image of Charles' face all over again.

In dreams he would always come, his voice calling to her and speaking her name.

_He's there, inside her mind._

He always was, and he will always be.

No matter what she does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an undying love for the Phantom of the Opera. The books, the movie, everything. One of my dreams is to visit Paris so I can see the Palais Garnier with my own eyes.
> 
> So I just couldn't help myself, lol.


	36. My Clarity

_This is one of the times Eleanor swears she will stop taking the sleeping pills._

_She's currently having a really weird experience._

_Her eyes are open. But she can't move a muscle in her body, staying frozen in bed, the darkness of her room surrounding her._

_She remembers reading about this on the internet once._

_Sleep paralysis? Is this what she's experiencing right now?_

_A wave of dread washes over her when she hears the balcony's door opening, heavy footsteps approaching the bed._

_Even when the person moves in her field of vision, she can't see who it is. It's too dark._

_But the soothing scent of cigarette smoke, salt and leather answers her doubts, and her fear instantly fades away._

**_Charles._ **

_He lays down by her side, gathering her in his arms and pulling her to his chest._

_Now she really wants this to be real..._

_Recovering her ability to move, Eleanor brings her hands to his shoulders, holding on to him tightly, tears burning in her eyes._

_The criminal caresses her back and her arm, keeping her close to his body as the blonde closes her eyes, and she feels so safe..._

_She never wants him to leave._

_But suddenly, the leather under her fingers transforms into something else..._

_Opening her eyes slowly, she's barely able to see the fabric of the red coat._

_And her fears are confirmed when she glances up at the man's face. It's dark, but she can still see it._

_Rogers smirks at her, pulling her closer and she fights, pushing him away, breaking free from his arms and sitting up in her bed, moving away from him as he gets up._

_He walks to the foot of the bed, completely enveloped by the darkness. But she can still see the outline of his figure._

_Eleanor blinks hard, trying to wake up. But when her eyes open again, the form lunges from the darkness, reaching for her..._

_And she freezes in pure, raw horror when she sees it's not Rogers anymore._

_It's her killer. The Spanish soldier._

_The blade reaches her stomach, and she screams in despair._

"No!" Eleanor shoots up in bed, her whole body shaking violently, wild eyes looking around the room, the first lights of dawn coming from the balcony's glass door.

Her trembling hands immediately move to her stomach and she quickly lifts Charles' shirt to stare at her birthmark.

It's intact. No blood, no gaping wound.

Just the faint line that looks like a scar.

_It is a scar._

Trying to stop trembling, she gets up, her wide eyes cautiously searching the room.

He's not here. Her killer is not here.

She's safe.

It all had been just a nightmare.

Thought it started as a dream. A really nice dream she really wishes was real.

Tears come to her eyes at the thought but she fights them away, refusing to cry.

Another week has passed, without any signs of Charles. Every night before going to bed, she would go out on her balcony, searching for him, wondering if he was still watching the mansion.

But she never saw him.

Max was keeping her updated on their situation, telling her all she knew about the criminals' plans to leave the city.

Apparently, they are still trying to take care of something, so they don't even have a boat yet.

_She still has some time._

Eleanor has been trying to think about what she wants to say to him. There's so much... But can she do it?

She wants to. There's no way to deny that anymore.

But even if she does, then what? Will that be enough to keep Charles from leaving? From going in search of his mentor? Will he give that up for her?

Her breath catches. He would have to choose between her and Teach. How disastrous this situation can get when he realizes that... It will surely remind him about the past.

From what Max told her, he wants to go to Nassau first. Her heart skips a beat, a sudden thought coming to her mind.

Maybe she could go with him.

Just to think about seeing her Island again... It gives her courage to consider the idea of leaving her life here in LA behind.

She could do that. And once there... She could start to work on convincing Charles not to go in search of Teach. They could simply stay there, together...

She would have to be careful, but Eleanor is sure she can manage to do that. She would just need to take it easy and pray he wouldn't see through her, see what she was trying to do.

Her heart clenches at the thought of manipulating Charles again. She really wishes she didn't have to do that, but it's her only choice.

A smile plays on her lips as she thinks about all the possibilities, going back home... Seeing the place she misses so fucking much, the place she has been longing for ever since her memories were returned...

True, with all the money she has, she could have already traveled to Nassau a lot of times. But something kept her from doing it.

She was scared of going there alone.

Eleanor has no idea what impact it would have on her, if she would be able to handle her emotions. She could have taken Caroline or Max with her, but...

As much as she tried to deny it, deep down she knew; the only person she trusted enough to have by her side when she went to Nassau was Charles.

And he didn't want anything to do with her after their memories came back, but now...

This is what she wants. She wants to go  **home.**

_With him._

Her smile drops when the blonde remembers something, all of the plans she was making in her head stopping suddenly.

_Father..._

Can she leave him behind?

**_Oh, fuck._ **

* * *

_**3 years ago** _

_**Nassau, Bahamas** _

_They were fighting, again._

_The screaming gets louder with each passing second and Davina tries covering her ears, tears flowing from her eyes as the six year old curls herself in a ball on her small bed._

_"I don't want this shitty life anymore! You're high all the time, spending our money in opium; you never take care of the house!" Her papa screams and she hears her mama laughing bitterly at him._

_"As if you can speak! You're always drunk, you worthless piece of shit!"_

_Her words scare Davina. She just wants it to end soon. She hopes they won't start hitting each other this time._

_The little girl pulls the blanket over her head, wishing it would help muffle the sounds of the fight._

_It doesn't._

_Glass shatters, causing her to flinch and whimper in fear as the screaming gets even louder._

_"You don't want this life anymore? Then leave! Leave me and your daughter behind, we'll be better off without you!"_

_"I don't give a shit about the two of you! I never even wanted a daughter, it was your own fault if you got pregnant! I should have never left Naomi; she was the only woman I ever loved."_

_Another cruel laugh comes from her mama._

_"Naomi Teach? You loved her so much that you abandoned her, when she was pregnant with your child-"_

_"I was going to come back for her and my baby! But she was murdered! Edward took the boy away, I don't know where they went! I was just 16, I was stupid!"_

_"You're a grown man now, and you're just as stupid!"_

_They had moved to their bedroom, and Davina listens in silence, the sound of drawers opening and clothes being thrown into a bag coming from the room._

_"I can't do this anymore. There's nothing left for me here in this fucking Island." Her papa says, and her heart sinks when she realizes what is going to happen._

_He's leaving them._

_Her mama doesn't say a word and when the front door opens and closes, the little girl slowly gets out of bed, cautiously making her way to the other room._

_"What do you want, Davina?" The woman asks, rummaging through the bag she always tells her daughter to stay far away from._

_"I'm scared." She says in a quiet voice, and her mama scoffs._

_"Just lay down in bed and close your eyes. Mommy wants to drug herself, I have no time or patience to take care of you now. Go back to your room, we'll talk in the morning."_

_When morning comes, they don't talk._

_In fact, her mama stays silent for days, not eating anything, barely sleeping._

_In the 5th day of this routine, Davina tries going to her room again, only to freeze in fear when she sees the woman injecting something in her arm._

_The six year old runs back to her bed before she could be seen, quietly crying herself to sleep._

_And in the following morning, there's silence._

_Nothing but silence._

_When she goes to the other room, her mama seems to be asleep, but her skin looks so pale..._

_Davina's stomach growls and she moves closer to the bed, wanting to wake her mama up so they can eat. She touches her arm._

_She's cold. And hard._

_She's not breathing._

_For the rest of the day, the little girl stays by her side, hoping she would somehow come back._

_She doesn't._

_Quietly leaving the house, the girl runs to the beach nearby. She needs to see the ocean. It always makes her feel better._

_Her young mind is still having trouble understanding everything that happened, she just feels so numb and scared..._

_All she knows is that she's alone. What is she going to do now?_

_She's too little. Who's gonna take care of her?_

_Wait... She has a big brother out there somewhere, right? Her papa told her that so many times... Maybe..._

_Looking out at the ocean, she sees two small fishing boats. What if she travels to find her big brother?_

_Her thought are interrupted when a hand grabs her shoulder from behind, and she turns around to see a tall woman staring down at her in concern._

_"Sweetie? It's really late, what are you doing out here all alone? Where are your parents?"_

_Tears burn in her eyes._

_"Papa left. Mama's gone."_

_The woman crouches down in front of her, her dark green eyes filled with worry._

_"So you have no one?"_

_The girl shakes her head, a tear running down her cheek as her stomach growls loudly._

_"When was the last time you had something to eat, love?"_

_When?_

_She's not sure._

_Her silence makes the woman scowl in concern, a heavy sigh leaving her lips. "What happened to your mama, little one?"_

_"She was cold. She wanted to... drug..." Davina trails off, not really sure what it meant to "drug yourself"._

_But the woman seems to understand._

_"I see. No need to say anything else. I think I know what happened. Was it just you, your mama and papa?"_

_She nods, and the woman offers her a smile. "I'm sure you're hungry. Do you want to come home with me? I'll give you anything you want to eat."_

_"Really?"_

_She nods. "My name is Mary. What about you?"_

_"Davina Sierra." She says quietly, and Mary frowns._

_"Do you have a last name?"_

_"It starts with K, but I don't know how to say it. I don't like it... I want to find a boat."_

_"Why?"_

_"I have to go away."_

_"Because you're all alone?"_

_The girl nods quietly, a yawn leaving her lips._

_"Well, you're obviously too tired and hungry, so that will have to wait. You agreed to come home with me. How about you just stay with me for a while? I'll take care of you."_

_Davina's tired eyes light up. "Promise?"_

_"Promise, little one. I won't let anything happen to you."_

_The girl throws herself into Mary's arms, hugging her neck as tears roll down her cheeks._

_The woman hesitates for a moment before returning the hug, raising back to her normal height while holding the girl in her arms, the child's little legs wrapping around her waist as she begins to make her way back home._

_Along the way, the young girl ends up falling asleep in her arms and Mary wonders what the hell she's doing._

_What is she getting herself into?_

_She has no idea._

_It feels like the right thing to do, though._ _And that's all that matters._

* * *

**Present Days**

**Los Angeles**

"This is going to be a disaster." Eleanor says as she gets ready to go out in Max and Idelle's room.

"Don't think like that. It will be okay." Max rolls her eyes at her.

"Anne is going to murder me!"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic! I told Anne to avoid the Demeter tonight, because you would be there. She got really angry and we had a fight because of this by the way, so you better make it up to me by making some good advances with Vane."

The blonde scoffs at her words. "I won't promise anything."

Idelle walks into the room, sighing heavily. "I did it. Everything's ready."

"What's ready?" Eleanor asks with a frown and she rolls her eyes at her.

"Be nice, Idelle." Max says in a stern voice.

"I'm planning a party for the next weekend. At a ranch half an hour away from the city. I rented it. Been saving money for a few months, because well, not all of us are rich, right?" She says in a tone filled with venom and the blonde raises her chin in defiance.

"Oh, so now it's my fault that I was born into a wealthy family?"

A wicked glint comes to the woman's eyes. "Maybe not. It was your fault Captain Vane died, though."

Max sighs heavily and Eleanor's heart clenches.

But she refuses to let it show, scoffing to mask her emotions. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing. Just thought I should remind you."

The blonde clenches her jaw and Max clears her throat, wanting to make the atmosphere lighter. "How about you tell Idelle about that weird experience of yours? She's really good at interpreting dreams."

"I don't believe in that shit. It was just my imagination running wild."

The other woman's interest is piqued. "No, tell me. Now I want to know."

The blonde sighs heavily, knowing it would be useless to try and fight her. So she just tells Idelle all about her strange experience, the dark haired beauty listening in silence.

Once she's done, the woman thinks for a moment, laying down on her bed as a smirk comes to her face.

"It's pretty clear to me what this was. This dream... It meant that you were safe with Captain Vane. You would always be safe with him. But then you decided to be stupid. To me, this dream clearly represents your soul urging you to make the right decisions this time. The way he turned into Rogers, and then the governor turned into your killer? It's a reminder to you, about how he was the one responsible for your destruction."

She opens her mouth to speak, but Max is quick to interrupt her.

"Don't you dare saying it wasn't his fault! Because you know you would only be lying to yourself. He killed you, Eleanor. He destroyed you. You need to stop being in denial about that."

The blonde shakes her head. "Woodes-"

"Christ, what's gonna take for you to see his true nature? He drugged you! What does he have to do in order to make you finally lose this devotion that still lingers? Rape you?"

A shiver goes down her spine and she scowls. "He would never do that to me."

"I have my doubts."

"You know what I don't get?" Idelle interrupts them, staring up at the ceiling and seeming to be in deep thought. "How could you give him up? That handsome, hot as fuck pirate... And then you got together with someone so... boring."

The blonde narrows her eyes at her.

"Funny. A few months ago, I seem to recall you saying that Rogers was handsome as hell and that I should definitely marry him."

"Oh, he's good looking, alright. I admit that. But come on. You know what I'm talking about." She says with a wicked smirk and Max's eyes widen in horror.

"Oh my God! I do not want to hear about this anymore. Eleanor, I'll wait for you outside, just come meet me when you're ready, okay?"

She doesn't even has the chance to answer as her friend rushes out of the room.

The blonde sighs. Thank God she's almost done. All she has to do is put on her lipstick and high heels.

But of course, Idelle is relentless.

"Come on. I am genuinely curious. Answer me! For the sake of the friendship we shared before the memories came back."

"Answer what?"

"You know... What was it like? I mean, the governor seemed boring as fuck, was he like that in bed too?"

Eleanor rolls her eyes with a heavy sigh, finishing to put on her lipstick and sitting on Max's bed, reaching for her high heels.

"Don't ignore me. Am I right? Vane is better, isn't he?"

"I am not going to talk about this with you." The blonde says, slipping the high heels on and getting to her feet.

The dark haired woman laughs as she makes her way to the door.

"It's okay. The look on your flushed face is the only confirmation I need."

Eleanor shakes her head, leaving the room and closing the door behind her while Idelle continues to laugh.

As she heads to the front door, the blonde is unable to fight away the soft smile tugging at her lips.

* * *

"I missed this place!" Mary screams to be heard over the loud music and Charles gives her a half smirk.

"It has its perks."

They arrived at the Demeter half an hour ago, both needing a break from the stressful situation they were in.

At first, Mary had been reluctant about this, not wanting to stop searching for Davina. But Charles convinced her, promising they would continue their search tomorrow, first thing in the morning.

Besides, it's not like there's much they can do right now anyway.

They don't have any leads yet.

Jack and Anne have been watching Mason and Woodes, waiting to see if they could get any clues as to the little girl's whereabouts. But there's still nothing.

Though it makes Mary less nervous to know that Davina is probably safe. They know she was taken away from Rogers' home by a woman. And they also know that she had not been harmed during her stay at the mansion.

This helps to calm the adoptive mother's nerves.

The woman takes a drink from her rum, throwing her free arm around Charles' shoulder. "By the end of the night, I will have managed to drag you to the dance floor."

The criminal scoffs. "In your dreams."

"Oh, come on! You need to live a little."

He's about to reply when a flash of familiar blonde hair catches his attention.

His eyes search the crowd desperately until he finds her.

On the dance floor with Max.

In a tight, short dress the exact same color as the fancy blouse she had been wearing when he came back with his new men, back in their previous lives.

What color was that? It wasn't exactly purple...

She's wearing high heels too, and he worries about her cuts. Had they healed enough already for her to be able to walk in those things?

She had straightened her hair. It looks so soft and beautiful like this...

He wants to run his fingers through it so much.

"Charles?" Mary's voice brings him back to reality and the woman smirks when she sees the blonde he had been staring at.

"You want her, don't you?"

"That's Eleanor."

Mary's eyes widen for a moment and she chuckles. "Now I understand why she won your stone heart."

He clenches his jaw, grabbing Mary's arm and starting to walk to the club's exit. "We're leaving."

"What happened to having a little fun?"

"We can go somewhere else."

Mary pulls her arm free from his grasp and he stops, turning around to give her a look filled with warning. She sighs, shaking her head.

"I want to stay here. I really like this club. And besides, maybe we can make this night a little more... interesting."

"What do you mean?"

She smirks, moving closer to him and bringing her lips to his ear, her free hand caressing his arm. "How do you feel about making Miss Guthrie a little jealous?"

A smirk comes to his lips.

Maybe it won't hurt to stay here for a while.

* * *

It's her 5th drink already.

Maybe she should slow down.

The thought vanishes as suddenly as it had appeared and Eleanor shrugs to herself, bringing the glass to her lips.

_Fuck it._

She needs this right now.

Max is watching her closely, her eyes filled with concern. She's still only on her second glass, but the blonde is drinking the alcoholic cocktails as if they're water.

Looks like she's gonna have to take care of her tonight.

Suddenly, the blonde chokes on her drink and Max frowns in concern, though she recovers quickly.

"You okay?"

"Uh... I'm not really sure..."

Her eyes are wide and filled with horror, as if she had seen a ghost. Max scowls, looking in the same direction as her, quickly finding the source of her discomfort.

Vane was kissing Mary.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

The blonde shakes her head, regaining her composure and fighting against the tears gathering in her eyes.

"No. You know what? He started this. And two can play at this game." She looks around herself, at the various men staring at her, trying to choose one.

But then a thought comes to her mind.

This is too dangerous. If Charles sees her with another man, he will probably be unable to control his temper. He would surely start a fight.

So unless she wants Bridge to call the police, she better find a way to make her Captain jealous without kissing another man.

_Well then, it's a good thing you're bisexual._

A smirk comes to her lips.

Of course.

Charles is making her jealous, yes. But she will have her revenge, doing the same thing to him while at the same time giving the criminal one hell of a show and teasing him mercilessly.

Lucky for her, the Demeter is always filled with lesbians.

And it doesn't take her too long to find one of them.

Max watches from a distance, an amused glint coming to her eyes as she sees the face Vane makes when he sees Eleanor kissing another woman.

_"This is not going to end well."_  She thinks with a smirk, just as the blonde breaks the kiss she was sharing with the random woman before looking over at Charles.

Their eyes lock and Eleanor smirks in triumph while the criminal clenches his jaw, narrowing his eyes at her.

_Game on._

* * *

As it was always the case with them, things soon start getting heavier and rough.

Eleanor is not sure how many women she has kissed by now, while Charles decided to just stick to the same one, knowing it would make a million thoughts run through her mind.

And it worked. She keeps asking herself if he has something with that woman.

And suddenly something clicks in her mind. During their perfect weekend in the cabin months ago, Charles mentioned a woman named Mary.

That was the name of the woman who called him while he was taking care of her at the mansion.

How the hell didn't she notice this before?

Could it be? Charles said she had disappeared without leaving any traces...

Clenching her jaw in anger at the mere thought of her Captain with another woman, she storms over to the bathroom, needing a moment to herself.

But fate seems to have other plans. Because as soon as she walks inside the bathroom, she sees the green eyed woman washing her hands.

"Hey. Getting tired of this pathetic little game you and Charles are playing?" She asks with a smirk, drying her hands before making her way over to Eleanor. "I'm Mary. But no need to tell me your name, I know who you are."

So her suspicions were correct.

_Fuck._

"Really, it's starting to get ridiculous. I think you two should just leave this place together so you can go somewhere and be alone. Obviously, it's what you both want." The woman says and Eleanor frowns.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She lies and a wicked glint comes to Mary's eyes.

"Oh, so you don't mind if I keep Charles all to myself? Maybe I should leave with him then." She teases, and Eleanor knows it's a bait.

But she doesn't care.

Storming out of the bathroom, the blonde stops in her tracks when she comes face to face with Charles.

He's waiting for Mary, obviously, holding their drinks in his hands.

The criminal raises an eyebrow at her and she lifts her chin in defiance.

_You wanted to play? Let's play._

Smirking, she closes the small distance between them, bringing her lips close to his ear and her hand to the collar of the leather jacket.

"I caught you staring a lot of times already. Like what you see?" He closes his eyes, trying to keep himself under control. "Let's see if you can handle this... The whole night without touching me." She bites his earlobe and he clenches his jaw as she pulls away, staring at his face for a moment before turning around and walking away.

She's drunk. Completely drunk.

For a second he follows her, but the criminal is quick to regain his self control.

Mary walks out of the bathroom with a triumphant smirk, reaching for her glass.

"What the hell did you do?" He asks, handing it to her, and she scoffs.

"Oh, I just gave her a little push. Max and I were getting tired of seeing this little game between you two, it wasn't going anywhere. You guys are so fucking stubborn."

* * *

"What was that in front of the bathroom's door?" Max asks with a smirk as Eleanor reaches her and the blonde rolls her eyes.

"Nothing. I wasn't thinking."

"I see." Her friend laughs beside her and she takes a drink from her glass, meeting Charles' gaze, refusing to look away, refusing to let him win.

And her blood runs cold when a certain song begins to play.

_Clarity._

The song that seems to have been written for them.

They watch each other, frowning, the lyrics seeming to mock them.

Charles tenses when a drunk man appears out of nowhere, grabbing Eleanor's wrist and trying to pull her to him. He's ready to intervene, but then the criminal watches as she breaks free from the idiot's grip just like he taught her. A half smirk comes to his lips, pride swelling in his chest.

She meets his eyes again, unable to contain her soft smile when she sees the way he's looking at her.

_Our love is tragedy._

The truest thing she's heard all week.

But he is her remedy, isn't he?

Her clarity.

She wants to go to him. So much. Their little game is forgotten by now. They simply keep staring at each other, listening to the song. It seems to bring them closer, somehow...

She wants him.

When Britney's "Criminal" starts to play, the blonde laughs briefly, seeing his smirk.

And the sexual tension becomes too much for her to handle.

She's about to walk closer to him when a familiar voice makes her blood run cold.

"Never thought I'd see you in a place like this, Miss Guthrie."

Her jaw clenches, her heart beating faster as fear spreads inside her. Not wanting to let it show, she turns around, raising her chin in defiance at Ned Low.

"I can go wherever I want."

The man chuckles, walking closer to her. "But maybe you shouldn't. This club is filled with... dangerous people who could do very, very bad things to you."

"And you're one of them?"

He smirks. "Indeed. I was really disappointed after our last meeting. But I don't see you knight in shining armor anywhere now."

Eleanor glances over her shoulder, almost panicking when she sees no sign of Charles.

Still, she stands her ground. "You can't do anything to me. You are going to regret it. Are you forgetting whose daughter I am?"

He scoffs before taking a drink of his beer. "Darling, I don't give a fuck about your daddy dearest, or about that stupid asshole in a business suit. Rumor has it, you are soon going to be engaged to Rogers. But guess what? That isn't enough to scare me off. Tonight, I will have what I want from you. That man in the leather jacket isn't here to protect you."

"You're wrong." The wonderful, grave voice sounds from behind her and she shivers when Charles pulls her into his arms, holding her close to his body. "She's with me. Get the fuck out of this club, right now."

His voice sounds so dangerous, and she doesn't fail to notice how he brings his free hand to the gun hidden beneath the brown leather jacket.

Ned notices too, clenching his jaw hard when he realizes that this is a fight he can't win.

"This isn't over." Is all he says before leaving them.

The pair watches him until he walks out the door, and Charles tightens his grip on her waist. "One of these days, I'm gonna cut off that idiot's head again."

Her heart speeds up when he kisses her neck, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. "Be careful."

The criminal lets go of her, walking away.

Her legs are unsteady and she rolls her eyes when she sees Max and Mary watching from a distance, both smirking in triumph as they lean against the wall, sharing a conspiring look.

Great. Looks like her and Charles have a fan club now.

She looks over at the criminal again, her breath catching when she sees him leaning against a column with a sinful look in his eyes.

Staring at her in such an intense way...

Britney's song is still playing.

Eleanor downs the contents of her glass, the alcohol in her system affecting her ability to think straight.

The desire is too much for her to handle.

"Fuck this."

The blonde tosses the empty glass over her shoulder before making her way over to Charles, giving in and throwing herself into his arms as soon as she reaches him, letting him turn her around to press her body against the column. Neither of them are thinking about consequences as they kiss desperately, blissfully unaware of the way Max and Mary are cheering from a distance.

He breaks their kiss, smirking at how breathless she already is, how flushed her face looks.

"Had to get away from that huge mansion in order to have a little fun? That is really not your way of living, right, Princess?"

"Shut the fuck up."

He narrows his eyes at her. "Don't say another word."

The criminal kisses her again, stopping suddenly a few seconds later and looking around, seeing the stares they were receiving from some of the people.

Meeting her eyes, he brushes her hair behind her ear. "Three minutes."

Eleanor is still trying to catch her breath as she watches him walk to the back door, the one that led to the outdoor area behind the club.

A smile plays on her lips while she counts the seconds in her head, feeling like she's waiting for an eternity.

When the three minutes finally pass, Eleanor makes her way to the door too, trying her best to ignore the way Max and Mary are smirking at her.

Her heart beats wildly in her chest while she closes the door behind her, watching as Charles walks to a hidden spot behind a wall.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she follows him.

He gives her no time to blink, pulling her to him and walking her backwards to press her against the wall, his hands already moving under the tight dress.

A groan leaves his lips. "No underwear, Princess? Were you already expecting something like this?"

Her eyes fall closed as he nips at her neck, her self-control vanishing. "I was hoping..."

He laughs briefly at her words, pulling away to enjoy the sight of her, looking so flushed, so desperate...

She scowls at him. "Fuck you."

The criminal pushes her against the brick wall again while she stares at him, chin lifted in defiance, not wanting to back down.

"You played with fire. Now deal with the consequences." He drops to his knees, roughly draping her right leg over his shoulder, and she has no idea how she doesn't lose her balance. But then he's holding her hip firmly, keeping her from falling, the position of her right leg giving him full access to where he wanted.

There's no teasing. No waiting. No sweet torture.

She can't stop the moan that escapes her lips.

Her hands desperately search the brick wall for something to hold on to before finally coming to his hair and shoulder, the blonde trusting him and his grip on her hip to keep her from falling.

Although they are hidden behind the wall, she's sure that anyone who comes out here can hear her.

But she just can't help herself. She missed this so fucking much. His sinful tongue...

If this is his idea of "consequences" and punishment, it's perfectly fine by her. She'll gladly deal with it.

_"There has to be some sort of catch."_  Her mind suggests weakly, but she's just too lost in her pleasure to think about it.

Eleanor leans her head back against the wall, her hands not leaving his hair, her brain completely foggy with pleasure and desire.

Within minutes, he has her on the edge, his name leaving her lips over and over again as her high heel digs into his back.

_Almost there. Almost there..._

And then...

He stops.

A soft bite to her inner thigh is all she gets before he pulls away.

Confused, she stares at him with wide eyes as he gets to his feet, his eyes filled with cruel amusement.

The criminal caresses her chin, shaking his head lightly. "If you think I'm gonna give you that, you're sorely mistaken."

"Charles!" It sounds like a desperate plea, her voice breathy and angry.

A shiver runs down her spine when he leans in to whisper in her ear.

"Shouldn't mess with a pirate Captain."

She scowls at him as he pulls away, watching her closely.

"Bastard."

"Serves you right."

Before he turns around to walk to the door, she sees his smirk.

And it only makes her even angrier.

Fighting against the strong urge of going after him, the blonde closes her eyes, a heavy sigh leaving her lips when she hears the door opening and closing.

She hates him.

She fucking hates him.

* * *

"Vane looked awfully pleased with himself when he came back from the outdoor area. What happened?" Max asks as Eleanor gets ready for bed and the blonde shakes her head, clenching her jaw hard.

"Don't ask. I fucking hate that idiot."

Her friend laughs. "I think I can imagine what he did."

Eleanor watches the door of her balcony for a moment, hoping to see the criminal there, before finally walking over to her bed and laying down.

And a sad fear comes creeping in.

"Max? That woman... What is the relationship between them?"

"You mean Mary? From what I saw, she's an old lover of his, and... They were looking for her a while ago. Apparently, she could give them a lead on Teach's whereabouts. Vane found her passed out in an alley after she was tortured..."

"By who?"

Max sighs and Eleanor frowns at her. "Who, Max?"

"Your dear governor and his brother."

The blonde stares at her for a few moments, unable to believe her words.

"Why?"

"She was involved with Somali pirates, and they stole some family heirloom of the governor's. They were trying to torture answers out of her. I don't care if you don't believe me, but it's the truth. Simple as that. Besides... She has an adoptive daughter, but Rogers took the girl away from her. This is what's keeping Charles and the others from leaving. They are looking for the child. Her name is Davina Sierra, if I remember correctly."

Eleanor snaps her head up to meet her friend's eyes, suddenly remembering her encounter with that child in the park.

The child who had Charles' eyes...

"Mon ange? Something wrong?"

"Max, I think I saw this child."

"Eleanor! This is your chance to get some of his trust back. You need to tell me where she is, I'll report back to them!" Her friend says after a moment of silence and the blonde sighs heavily, rubbing her forehead.

Make a move against Rogers so she can earn Charles' trust?

Karma definitely works in a funny way. Three centuries ago, she was doing the exact opposite thing.

But this goes beyond her and Charles.

Woodes kidnapped a little girl?

_"Who is this man?"_  She thinks to herself, her heart clenching.

Eleanor slowly looks up to meet Max's eyes again, her decision already made.

No child should ever be taken away from their parents.

"She's with Sarah. Rogers' ex-wife."


	37. My Sister's Keeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is wondering what Davina looks like: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6421259/mediaviewer/rm606810624

"You seriously expect me to trust her words?" Charles asks, eyes filled with rage and Max sighs, trying not to feel too afraid.

This man can look really menacing when he wants to.

The two were sitting on opposite sides of the table at the main hideout, Anne leaning against the wall behind her leader, a scowl refusing to leave her face. She shakes her head, walking around the table and sitting on the edge of it, right beside Max. "Sorry but I'll have to agree with him on that one. Knowing that traitorous cunt, this could be a trap."

"It's not a trap, darling. I promise. I know Eleanor, I saw it in her eyes, she was being honest. The child is with Sarah. All we have to do is find out where she lives, and make plans about how to get her back-"

"There is no 'we'." Charles finally speaks up. "You stay out of this. It's none of your business."

He lights a cigarette, meeting Anne's eyes. "Like it or not, this is the first solid clue we have up to now. Go find Jack and tell him about this. Find out where this Sarah woman lives. We'll take turns watching her house from the distance, if this is a trap orchestrated by Eleanor, we'll find out. Go now."

The redhead sighs at the order, reaching to squeeze one of Max's hands with a soft smile before walking out the front door.

There's awkward silence for a moment before Mary emerges from Charles' room, obviously having just woken up.

"What is it?" She asks with a frown upon seeing the looks she was receiving from the two other people in the hideout.

The criminal sighs, gesturing to an empty chair close to his. "Sit down."

Max can see the horror flickering in her eyes as she obeys, not giving Vane the chance to say anything, her voice coming out shaky, fear evident in her tone. "What happened? Is it Davina? Did something happen to my baby girl?"

"Calm down. She's probably okay. Max brought a... possible clue to us. Eleanor told her that Davina is staying with Rogers' ex-wife."

Sighing in relief, Mary gets up abruptly. "Well, what are we waiting for, then? Come on! I'll get my baby back, even if I have to kill this woman-"

"You don't know Eleanor. Anything she says, we can never trust her. She's a lying, manipulative witch." He says before taking a drag from the cigarette, ignoring the hard look he receives from Max because of his words. "This could very well be a trap. That's why we gotta be careful. I gave the order for Anne and Jack to find out where Sarah lives, as soon as they do that, we start watching the house. If it's a trap, we'll find out. Either way, we will find Davina. With or without bloodshed. Someone's head may come off though. Rogers', hopefully." His fist clenches hard when he says the man's name and Mary smirks, clearly agreeing with him.

"Hopefully."

Max shakes her head. "You know you can't kill the governor. It would bring hell right to you guys' door."

Mary scoffs. "Well, we're leaving this fucking city anyway, so why not?"

The pain that flickers in Charles' eyes when the woman says this is brief. Still, Max sees it. She sees this moment of hesitation as the criminal realizes that now they are one step closer to leaving this place behind.

_Leaving Eleanor behind._

A smile tugs at her lips. This is a good sign.

He doesn't want to leave her.

As if Max didn't know that already. But it's always nice to be reassured.

After leaving the hideout, she pulls out her phone to call Eleanor.

_"What? I'm taking care of business here, be quick."_  The blonde's tired, stress-filled voice comes from the other side of the line and Max's heart clenches for her.

"I just told Vane about Davina. He thinks it's a trap you and Rogers are planning."

The blonde scoffs, though the pain in her voice is evident.  _"Of course he does."_

"They are already working on finding out where Sarah lives. Their plan is to watch her house for a while before trying to get the girl back."

_"I hope they succeed. I really do. That kid seemed so sad when I saw her... She probably misses her adoptive mom a lot."_

"Eleanor... You know what this means, right? Once they have the child, all they need is a boat... It won't take too long until they leave. First to Nassau, then to God knows where to find Blackbeard. You need to think about what you want to do. Are you just going to let him go without trying to say anything?"

Silence stretches for a moment, the blonde sighing heavily. _"Look, I... I'll think about this later. I'm really, really busy right now, solving some issues for my father."_

_As usual._

"Okay... Are you coming to the party this weekend? At the ranch. Vane will probably be there."

_"I don't know... We'll see. We'll talk later. I really gotta go. Bye."_

She hangs up and Max sighs, shaking her head before turning around to look at the hideout.

"What am I going to do with you two stubborn mules?"

* * *

It doesn't take too long before Jack finds out where Sarah lives.

For the first two days, they take turns watching the house.

During Tuesday night, Mary and Charles see Sarah coming home. And when Davina gets out of the car, walking with her to the front door, the criminal trio's leader has to physically restrain Mary, as the adoptive mother tries to run to her little girl, unable to stop herself.

She cries in Charles' arms while watching the child disappear inside the house.

After this incident, they decide to keep Mary out of this part of their plan, and after a lot of arguing, the trio manages to convince her that this is the best thing they can do.

By Thursday morning, Jack, Anne and Charles come to the conclusion that the chances of this being a trap are minimal.

They didn't see anything suspect, Sarah and Davina were completely unprotected, there were no signs of Woodes, Mason or anyone else at the house. And they had been watching it at all times for the last three days.

So now it was just a waiting game.

Waiting for the right time to come, so they could snatch the little girl away from the house right under Sarah's nose without causing any further problems for them.

Mary had asked them not to use violence. She said Davina already went through a lot in her short life.

The child didn't need any more traumatic experiences.

It's Thursday night, and Charles is watching the house from the window of an abandoned building nearby, smoking a cigarette and rolling the coin across his knuckles to try and keep himself somewhat entertained.

After what feels like an eternity, the front door opens.

The criminal's fingers stop moving and he straightens up, watching as Sarah walks to her car before driving away.

Without Davina.

_This is it. The time has come._

Not sure how long he has until Rogers' ex-wife returns, he quickly makes his way out of the building.

Thankfully, the streets were empty.

He's quick to pick the lock, cautiously walking inside the house.

_It's silent. Too silent._

He makes his way up the stairs, checking room after room until finding what seems to be a guest bedroom.

And there's a little girl sleeping on a bunk bed.

Charles hesitates.

How the fuck is he supposed to act around a child? He has no idea what to do.

But time is precious.

So he makes his way over to the bed, carefully touching the girl's shoulder.

"Davina? Wake up."

She opens her eyes, staring at him in confusion for a second before sitting up on the mattress and moving away until her back touches the wall.

"It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to rescue you and take you back to Mary."

Her sad eyes light up and a smile tugs at her lips. But then she becomes suspicious, narrowing her eyes at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Charles. An old friend of your adoptive mom's. She's waiting for you back at my hideout, but we gotta be quick. There's no telling when Sarah will be back. Come on."

He extends his hand and Davina eyes it suspiciously for a moment, clearly trying to make a decision.

His patience is running thin and he's about to just grab her to drag her out of the house when she finally takes his hand.

The criminal helps her to her feet, not letting go of her hand as they make their way down the stairs.

Pulling out his phone, he sends a quick text for Mary.

_"Got her. Heading back right now."_

Putting the phone back inside his pocket, he glances down at Davina.

Weirdly, he feels a strange affection for this little girl, a single thought running through his mind.

_"What the fuck is wrong with me?"_

* * *

As soon as Charles walks inside the main space of the hideout with Davina, Mary rushes out of his room, eyes wide and filled with emotion.

A choked sob leaves her lips and the little girl gasps, immediately letting go of Charles' hand and running to her. "Mama!"

Mary meets her halfway, tears running down her face as she hugs the child.

"Hi, my baby! It's okay, sweetheart!"

"I missed you!" Just like her adoptive mom, Davina is unable to contain her tears and after they hug for a few moments, Mary pulls away, quickly checking what she can see of her small body for any bruises. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"Mr. Rogers hit me once. But I'm okay."

Mary clenches her jaw, meeting Charles' eyes as they communicate without words.

Both of them want to go teach that monster a lesson, but this is not the time.

Hugging her little girl again, Mary caresses her soft hair lovingly before glancing up at Charles. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

The criminal nods, watching as Jack and Anne come out of their bedroom, their faces still sleepy while they look around the place to see what the commotion was.

Catching sight of the little girl in Mary's arms, the couple finally wakes up fully, making their way over to them.

Jack chuckles upon seeing her young face.

"She looks even more similar to you in person, Charles."

His leader gives him a look filled with warning. "Don't start."

But Mary's curiosity is piqued too, and she meets her adoptive daughter's eyes. "Sweetheart. I want you to rest for a while. But later... I know you don't like to talk about your past. But we need to know something. About your dad."

Sadness flickers in her eyes. "He left. Like he left the other woman."

Charles frowns, immediately remembering Teach's letter.

_"...She was only 15, and your father disappeared after finding out she was pregnant."_

Could it be...?

Meeting his accomplices' eyes, the criminal can see that they are thinking the exact same thing.

Davina yawns, rubbing her tired eyes and Mary sighs, looking up at Charles. "Can I put her to sleep in your bed?"

He nods, watching as the woman leads the child to his room.

Looks like he will have to wait a few hours for answers.

Hours later, when dawn was about to come, the criminal trio was still waiting for the child to wake up.

No one was able to go to sleep.

Mary is in Charles' room, not wanting to stay away from her little girl, and the criminal is staring out the window, deep in thought, while his accomplices watch him from the old couch.

"It's a possibility." Jack finally breaks the silence. "If this is true, then it's the biggest coincidence I ever saw. What are the odds, Charles? Your ex-lover travels to Nassau and finds a little girl who happens to be your half-sister."

Charles turns around to give him a hard look and Anne scoffs.

"Fuck this. The question is: What are we waiting for?" Anne asks and the two men look over at her. "We rescued the girl. Why aren't we making plans about how to get a boat and leave this fucking city?"

Charles clenches his jaw. "Change of plans. We stay here for a while longer."

The redhead's eyes fill with anger and Jack runs a hand through his hair with a grimace, trying to think of the right words to say. "Charles, we have the safety of a child to consider."

Anne nods. "He's right. We gotta put an ocean between us and Rogers. He'll be pissed when he finds out the girl was snatched away from them right under their noses. We gotta leave, as soon as possible."

Their leader shakes his head, tossing his finished cigarette out the window. "We're not going anywhere for the next couple of weeks."

Anne scoffs. "All because of that stupid cunt."

The criminal glares at her and Jack steps in, trying his best to keep the situation under control, wanting to convince their leader without angering him. "Captain. Any delay is a risk."

But Charles is having none of it.

"Two. Weeks." He says, his temper flaring. "Rogers doesn't know where we are, he doesn't even know  _who_  we are. We stay here, because I decide!" His voice raises considerably at the last three words, causing his accomplices to flinch slightly, just as the door to his room opens.

He turns around to see Davina staring at him, clearly scared by his outburst, and Mary clear her throat, forcing a smile while bringing a reassuring hand to the child's shoulder. "Guys. Look who's awake."

The three criminals stare at her in silence. Davina looks around the hideout and at their face shyly, clearly nervous, Mary caressing her hair.

"Hi." She finally says, her voice quiet, as Charles takes a few steps closer to her.

The girl stares up at him, standing her ground despite her fear.

"Hi." He replies, watching her face closely.

She keeps his stare for a few seconds before averting her eyes, looking up at Mary nervously. "Mom... Can I have a glass of water?"

Anne immediately gets up, walking to the fridge to retrieve a water bottle, pouring some of the liquid into a glass and bringing it to the girl.

She eyes it for a moment before accepting it, staying close to Mary and sipping on the water while glancing up at Charles' face curiously.

Later, after the adoptive mother gives Davina a bath, making sure there aren't any wounds on the child's body, the four adults gather around the couch, ready to get some answers.

"Sweetheart, we need to know more about that woman your papa left. Can you-"

"What was this woman's name, do you know?" Charles asks gruffly, causing Davina to flinch before she masks her fear.

"I heard mama and papa talking about her sometimes."

The criminal takes a deep breath, his patience clearly running thin and Mary gives him a hard look before meeting the nervous girl's eyes.

"Do you remember her name, sweetie?"

"Naomi..." She makes a face, trying hard to remember the rest of the name, the four adults watching her expectantly. "...Teach. Naomi Teach."

Charles stares at her face, not saying a word, his expression unreadable.

"Well, look at that." Jack says, breaking the heavy silence.

"Why? Mom, what's going on?" The child asks, completely confused, looking up at Mary's face.

"Do we tell her, Charles?"

He glances at his ex-lover, not answering her question.

But apparently, Anne's patience is completely gone.

"For fuck's sake. You see this man?" She asks the child, pointing at Charles. "He's your big brother."

Davina frowns, meeting the criminal's eyes. "No, he's not."

Anne scoffs. "What's the matter? Not what you expected?"

"Darling, you're scaring her." Jack says in a quiet voice, touching the redhead's arm, only to cause her to get up abruptly before storming over to their room.

"Shit." He curses under his breath, getting up and following her, knowing full well what's the reason behind her sour mood. "Come on, Anne! Be reasonable, it's just two more weeks!"

Now alone with Mary and Davina in the main space of the hideout, Charles doesn't know what to do for the first time in forever.

"You wanna draw, baby?" His ex-lover asks the child and she nods, stealing a quick glance at the criminal while Mary gets up to retrieve the papers and box of crayons. She had been saving it for when they got her back.

Half an hour later, the two adults watch from the old couch while Davina sits at the table in front of the fridge, all her attention focused on whatever it is she was drawing.

"Why is she in denial? Not that I care, but..."

Mary scoffs at him. "You do care. I know you. Just give her some time. She's just scared. Davina is a really sensitive child. And you have to admit, you've been acting really tough. She's just 9 years old, Charles. Of course she'd be a little frightened."

The criminal shakes his head, watching his sister in silence while Mary speaks again.

"You are her hero. Even though she never told me about you before, in this short time since we got her back, she revealed to me how much she always thought about her big brother. You probably have a lot to live up for. Don't you dare break my little girl's heart."

She gets up from the couch and he frowns. "Where are you going?"

"To take a shower. Can I trust you to keep an eye on your sister? Don't scare her, okay? Please."

His ex-lover heads to the bathroom and he sighs heavily.

At first he was going to stay away, but then, his natural curiosity wins.

The criminal gets up from the couch, slowly walking over to the table.

The child glances at him for a second before going back to her drawing and he brings his hands to the table's surface, looking down at the paper.

She was drawing a wooden pirate ship in the middle of the ocean.

_Yep. Definitely his blood._

"This looks good." Charles comments before he could stop himself and Davina looks up at him for a moment.

He's actually glad to see that the fear is gone from her eyes, though she obviously still doesn't trust him.

He watches her draw for a few more minutes before she finally says something.

"Mary said you like the ocean too."

He nods, sitting down on the other chair. "I do. Very much, actually."

"I like ships." She says, not looking up from her drawing.

"Do you?"

She nods. "The pirates back home, they have some. But they're different. I like the ones made of wood, the ones old pirates used."

Silence reigns for a moment while the criminal stares at the child, unable to contain the pride swelling in his chest.

A smirk comes to his face when he thinks about something.

"I had a ship once, did you know that?"

Davina immediately looks up at him, her interest piqued. She shakes her head, not averting her eyes. "What was her name?"

"The Ranger. It was made of wood, just the way you like. I prefer it too."

The little girl smiles, but then a frown comes to her face. "What happened to the Ranger? Where is she?"

A fresh wave of resentment against Eleanor washes over him and the criminal clenches his jaw before controlling his temper, not wanting to scare his sister again.

"Someone... took her from me."

"Why?"

"A misunderstanding..." He sighs, staring down at his fingers while trying to ignore the sudden sadness taking him over.

Charles misses his ship. He really, really does.

"The Ranger's gone, Davina. She's been gone for a long, long time."

"How long?"

A smirk tugs at his lips. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you... You know what? Soon, we're gonna get a boat. And screw what the other three think, the only opinions that matter are yours and mine. And so, we are getting a wooden one, alright?"

Her eyes light up, a bright smile coming to her face.

And it's enough to illuminate his dark soul for a second.

"Really? I always wanted to see one!"

"And now you will. I can even teach you how to steer it."

The little girl laughs happily, nodding in agreement before growing serious again, staring at his face. "Your eyes look so much like mine. Are you really my big brother?"

"All evidence says that yes, I am your big brother. Do you remember anything else about your dad?"

She thinks for a moment, pain flickering in her eyes. "The night papa left us... I was so little, but I remember him talking about that woman... Naomi. He said someone killed her. And that, uh... A man took a boy away."

"Did he say the man's name?"

"I... Think it was Edward. But maybe I'm wrong."

Charles shakes his head. "You're not wrong. And now I'm sure. You are my sister. Well, half-sister."

She scrunches up her nose adorably, her eyes filled with confusion. "What does that mean?"

"It means you and I share the same father. But not the same mother. Does that make sense?"

She nods, staring at his face before a smile comes to her lips. "I never told Mary about my big brother until today. But I always wanted to know you. I always imagined what you looked like. How you were."

"Are you too disappointed?" He asks with a smirk and the girl laughs.

"No. You're strong and scary. I like you."

He wasn't expecting that.

Affection spreads through his chest, and it makes him uncomfortable. This feeling is weakness.

Can he afford to feel this for someone else besides Eleanor?

The bathroom door opens and Mary steps out, drying her hair with a towel.

His ex-lover smiles warmly at the sight of brother and sister bonding.

"Mama, Charlie said we will get a wooden ship, just the way I like!"

Mary stops in her tracks, her eyes widening as she begins to laugh uncontrollably at the way her adoptive daughter had just called Charles.

"Why you laughing?" Davina asks with an adorable scowl and the criminal rolls his eyes at the woman, the hard look on his face finally causing her to get her laughter under control.

"Well, your brother clearly likes you a lot already. If you called him 'Charlie' and he didn't murder you, looks like you two are bonding really well."

Davina frowns in confusion, muttering what sounds like "grown-ups are weird" before looking down at her drawing, adding one last detail.

Charles is taken aback when she hands it to him.

"It's for you. So you won't get sad because you lost the Ranger." She explains with a smile and the criminal stares at the paper for a moment before accepting it.

The little girl runs over to the couch and Charles looks down at the drawing, a smile tugging at his lips when he sees she wrote "Ranger" on the ship's hull.

Mary sits down on the chair her adoptive daughter was occupying just a moment ago, smiling when she sees her ex-lover glancing at Davina for a second.

"What do you think?" She asks and Charles sighs, shaking his head.

"She's a very special child."

"I know. And you haven't seen anything yet. She's so smart. This little girl plays pranks on the pirates all the time back home, and none of them are able to best her or escape her wicked little games."

Pride swells in his chest again and Mary clears her throat, knowing her next words would anger him.

"Charles, we need to find a way to thank Eleanor."

He just growls in warning, but Mary answers with a hard look of her own. "Yes, we do. If it wasn't for her, my little girl, your  _sister,_  wouldn't be here with us right now. You know that."

"Do whatever you want. Go to the fucking mansion to thank her if that's what you want. Just be careful, you could end up hanged."

She frowns at his words. "What?"

The criminal sighs heavily. "Nothing. Forget I said that."

A frustrated groan comes from Davina and Charles looks over his shoulder again, seeing his sister on the couch, trying to roll a coin across her knuckles.

"You're really my blood, aren't you, kid?" He says to himself, unable to stop his smile as he gets to his feet, walking over to the couch.

"Maybe I can help you with that."

The little girl looks up at him, an adorable frown on her face, the coin still between her fingers. "Do you know how to do it?"

He sits down by her side, holding out his hand.

She gives him the coin, watching in pure fascination while he rolls it across his knuckles, his fingers moving with practiced ease.

"Teach me!" She says eagerly with a bright smile and the criminal chuckles at her.

Mary watches with a warm smile while he teaches her the basics, reveling in the sound of her adoptive daughter's happy laughter when the girl succeeds in rolling the coin for a few seconds before letting it drop.

She missed this sound.

"That's good. Soon, you'll be a pro."

He ruffles her hair with a half smirk and Davina slaps his hands away, still laughing.

Mary makes her way over to the couch, glancing at the curtain that served as a wall to Jack and Anne's room. "Is Anne under control?"

"I didn't hear anything breaking or Jack being murdered, so I guess he somehow managed to make her go to sleep or... They're doing something else."

Mary gives him a stern look and Davina frowns in confusion. "What can they do in their room besides sleeping?"

Charles opens his mouth to answer her but Mary is quick to interrupt him. "Nothing. They're just sleeping."

The criminal scoffs. "Seriously? When do you plan on telling her about the birds and the bees?"

"What?" The girl asks, completely confused.

Mary's cheeks go red and she stares at her ex-lover in horror for a moment. "She's just 9 years old, for God's sake!"

"I learned around that age."

"Yeah, and you grew up to sleep with half the women in LA!"

"What does that mean, mama?"

Mary sighs heavily, her exasperation making the criminal smirk.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Forget I said that. I'll explain everything in 2 years, okay?"

"But I want to know now!"

The adoptive mother gives Charles a look filled with venom. "Look what you did."

He shrugs, meeting his sister's eyes. "Uncle Jack and Aunt Anne sometimes make weird noises. Just wait until Aunt Max comes to visit."

"Charles!"

"What, it's a fair warning."

"God, you're impossible!" Mary leaves them alone, rushing to the criminal's room.

Davina rolls her eyes. "I hate it when grown-ups act like this. Can you tell me what mama doesn't want me to know?"

_Oh shit._

He clears his throat. "Look, kid... There's stuff you need to wait a while to know. Trust me. I promise you'll know soon enough, alright? Now let this go, or I won't let you near the helm when we get that wooden ship."

She nods immediately. "Okay. I won't ask again."

"Good." Charles glances at the window, seeing it was close to noon already.

Time flied.

A half smirk comes to his face. "You know what will piss Mary off? If I let you have ice cream before lunch."

Her eyes light up. "You have ice cream?"

"We always do. Let me tell you a secret: Jack is addicted to strawberry ice cream."

The child laughs, following him to the fridge.

His heart swells with affection while he watches her eat, the child giving him a conspiring look.

This little girl is quickly crawling her way inside his heart.

Charles already knows he will protect her from anything and anyone who threatens her.

Much to his annoyance, his thoughts drift to Eleanor. He wishes she was here, getting to know his little sister.

Unwanted images flash in his mind, of his lady Honeypot bonding with Davina. She would be so angry if she was here right now, seeing him let the girl have ice cream before lunch. She would give him that stern look.

The one that never failed to turn him on and make him hungry for her.

He's surprisingly happy to have his sister here with him instead of at Sarah's house, where Rogers could hit her anytime.

Davina is safe, reunited with her adoptive mom, finally able to meet her big brother.

He found a sister he didn't even know he had.

And Charles knows it's all thanks to Eleanor.

His traitorous heart fills with gratitude and he glances down at the drawing Davina gave him, trying his best to summon the hate and resentment from a while ago, reminding himself about how she gave his beloved ship away.

About how she betrayed him and sold him out to the governor.

But frustration spreads inside him when the criminal can only think about how she has said  _"I'm sorry"_  so many times since their memories came back. About how she had reached for him, letting him take care of her after he found her cutting.

He can only think about how she didn't tell Rogers that he was hiding in her closet when the arrogant bastard came to check up on her.

Charles can still feel her high heel digging into his back, his name leaving her lips in desperate pleas, at the outdoor area of the Demeter.

Yes. Try as he might, right now he's just unable to be angry at Eleanor.

Feeling some of the ice in his heart melting away, the criminal tries his best to ignore a scary, frustrating thought running through his mind.

After what she did for his sister... he's one step closer to forgiving Eleanor Guthrie.

And it makes him crazy.


	38. All my Love

Max somehow managed to convince her to come to the ranch party.

Eleanor is still angry with herself for giving in so easily. She shouldn't be here. She should be back at the mansion with her father.

But for some reason, the temptation to come here was just too big.

_You know why._

"Guess who's coming here later." Max says with a smirk, swimming closer to her.

It's only the two of them at the secluded pool right now, most of the guests have yet to arrive.

"So he's really coming?" The blonde tries her best not to sound hopeful. It doesn't work too well.

"Yep. And he's bringing little Davina with him. Oh my God, I didn't tell you, did I? You're not going to believe-"

"Is Anne coming?" Eleanor cuts her off, worried about her safety. If the redhead sees her, God only knows what could happen.

Max sighs, shaking her head. "She's still a bit angry with me. And I told her you were coming. So no. She will stay at the hideout with Jack. Only Vane, Mary and Davina are coming. Speaking of the child... Will you let me talk now?"

"Sorry. Yeah, go ahead."

"I'm sure you noticed that her eyes..."

"...look identical to Charles'. Yes, I noticed. Is she his daughter?"

Her friend smirks at how apprehensive she sounds. "No. That little girl is his sister."

It takes a few seconds until Eleanor finally finds her voice again. "You're kidding."

"Half-sister. They share the same father."

The blonde shakes her head. "Wait, wait. Charles said he has no idea who his parents are."

"Well, that was before. A lot happened since the memories came back, mon ange."

"What?"

Max sighs, looking around to check if they were still alone before speaking again. "Shortly after we remembered everything... Vane went to that cabin in the woods. He found a letter there. It turns out, that the cabin was built by Teach himself."

The blonde's eyes widen. "What the fuck?!"

"I know. Let me finish. The letter said that in this life, Vane was born in the Caribbean, to a 15 year old girl. The teen was Blackbeard's sister. The father fled upon learning she was pregnant. Teach had enemies. And unfortunately, they found them. They killed Naomi, Vane's mother, and they were about to kill him too. He was just 6 days old."

Tears burn in Eleanor's eyes but she fights them away as her friend continues with the story. "Luckily, Teach arrived just in time to save his life. He fled with the baby in order to keep him safe."

"To LA."

Max nods. "Exactly. He wanted to raise his nephew as his own child, but knew that the boy would never be safe with him."

"So he left him at the orphanage."

"Yes. Then he left the city and ended up finding that lake with the waterfall by accident, deciding to build the cabin so he would be able to keep an eye on Vane without endangering him. But seven years later, after finding out that his enemies were looking for him all over the country, Blackbeard had no other choice but to leave."

"And Davina..."

"After rescuing her, the trio and Mary were already suspicious due to her resemblance to Vane. So they asked her to tell them what she remembered about her dad. The stories matched. Her father used to say that he only ever loved one person; a woman called Naomi Teach, who was murdered shortly after giving birth to their child. From what I gathered, be planned to come back for her and Vane, but it was too late. Teach had already ran away with the baby."

"What about Davina's life?"

"Mary told me this sad story. The girl's father... Vane's father, left her with her mom. Too bad she was a drug addict, who died from overdose a few days later. Mary found her wandering the beach alone, completely lost, the same night. She took her under her wing, deciding to raise her as her own."

Eleanor shakes her head, feeling numb, this big revelation already giving her a headache. "Oh my God, that poor child..."

The blonde is taken by surprise when a really strong wave of hate and disgust for Rogers washes over her.

Davina had endured so much during her short life, and then the man takes her away from her adoptive mom, putting her through even more pain.

All because of a stupid family heirloom.

The kid didn't deserve that.

"What are you thinking, mon ange?"

"Max, who is this man?" She sounds so lost, so hurt and disappointed. Her friend brings a reassuring hand to her shoulder, knowing full well who she was talking about.

"A man who doesn't deserve you. Who doesn't deserve your devotion, your loyalty... Your love."

The blonde scoffs. "And who does? Charles?"

Max shrugs, just as the sound of a motorcycle reaches their ears. Looking over Eleanor's shoulder, the woman smiles with a shake of her head. "Oh my God. Look at that, Eleanor."

She turns around in the water, looking over at the entrance of the ranch. The trees surrounding the pool area kept the newly arrived people from noticing her and Max, but the two women could see them perfectly.

Nothing could have prepared Eleanor for this.

Charles stops the motorcycle, a little girl on the seat behind him. She lets go of his waist and he gets off the motorcycle, taking off his helmet before helping the child with hers. The criminal ruffles her long hair, exactly the same color as his.

Her happy laugh reaches their ears as Davina runs her hands through the dark locks, trying her best to fix the mess her big brother had made.

If seeing Rogers interact with a child made her heart beat faster, seeing Charles doing the same thing almost gives her a heart attack.

Unable to contain her loving smile, Eleanor watches as Davina throws her arms around the criminal's neck. He lifts her from the motorcycle seat, setting her on her feet just as a black car enters the ranch too, stopping right beside them.

A clearly nervous Mary gets out of the car, sighing in relief when she sees that Davina is safe.

"Thank God. What was I thinking? I shouldn't have allowed this."

"You worry too damn much. I only had one accident with this thing, and that was years ago."

"If it happened once, it can happen again."

"I'm okay, mama! It was fun!"

Eleanor's heart sinks a little as she watches them. They could easily be confused for a couple with their child.

Mary and Davina would go with Charles and his accomplices when they left. What would happen between the criminal and his ex-lover? Would they get together?

The blonde is taken aback when she realizes just how much she wants to go with them.

It would be paradise.

Leaving the big city behind, running away to the ocean. Headed to her home.

Traveling on a ship. With Charles.

The life she wishes she had chosen three centuries ago.

She wants this. So fucking much.

But what about her father?

"I was starting to worry you guys wouldn't come!" Idelle's voice brings her out of her thoughts and she watches as the dark haired woman greets her newly arrived guests.

Mary laughs. "Charles didn't want to. But Davina convinced him. We figured that getting out of that city for a while would be good for her."

"I'm sure it will. Hi sweetheart! There's a playground behind the house, I hope you'll have fun." Idelle says, caressing the child's cheek before turning her attention back to the adults. "There's a lot of rooms inside the house. Feel free to pick one. But be careful, you probably want to stay away from the one next to the living room. It's Eleanor's."

Davina perks up. "The woman I met at the park? She's here?"

Max chuckles. "Aww. She likes you. Must run in the family."

The blonde rolls her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips anyway. "She's acting kinda different now. More like a child. When I saw her with Sarah, she was so tense and suspicious. Acting so tough. As if she was older than her actual age."

"Probably a way to protect herself. Now that she's with people she trusts again, there's no need to bring her walls up. She can just be a child." Max says and Eleanor nods.

"It feels good to see her like this."

"It's all thanks to you. And I'm sure Vane knows that, although he's probably still in denial. I don't know which one of you is more stubborn."

Speaking of the criminal, Eleanor doesn't fail to notice the way he tenses up at the mention of her name, his eyes briefly searching the place.

"Yeah, she's here already. Probably still at the pool with Max. Behind the trees. I'll go drink a little more. See you guys later!" Idelle leaves them alone and Eleanor's heart skips a beat when Charles looks over his shoulder, immediately meeting her eyes. Her first instinct is to dive underwater.

As she listens to the faint sound of Max's laughter, there's only one thought running through her mind.

_"What the fuck am I doing here?"_

* * *

"I wanna see Eleanor." Davina whines as they get settled on the room of their choice, causing her big brother to sigh heavily while Mary chuckled.

"Mary can take you to see her later."

"But I want you to do it, Charlie!"

The criminal grimaces. "What did I tell you about that nickname?"

"I like calling you Charlie. Your name is too hard to say."

"Give up. You'll never be able to convince her to stop calling you that." Mary says, trying hard not to laugh.

He shakes his head in disgust before meeting his sister's eyes with a hard look on his face. "You're only allowed to call me that in front of Mary, Anne and Jack. Or when we're alone. Call me 'Charlie' in front of anyone else, and I'll never let you near the motorcycle again."

"What do I call you then?" She whines in frustration and he thinks for a moment, quickly finding a solution.

"Can you say Vane?"

"Vane..." The little girl says, testing the name on her tongue. "Yeah. I like it. But why?"

"It's my last name."

Mary frowns in confusion, sitting on the bottom bunk bed beside Davina. "I thought you didn't know what your last name was."

"I didn't. Until... recent events."

"I don't have a last name." His little sister says, a sad glint in her eyes.

"She doesn't remember what her last name was before I found her. It always bothered her to be simply 'Davina Sierra'." Mary explains with a heavy sigh.

"Why didn't you take Mary's last name?" Charles asks and his sister makes a face.

"Read? I would feel like a book."

The criminal can't help the brief chuckle that escapes him, an idea coming to his mind. "How about you just take mine then? You said you liked it."

Her blue eyes light up. "Really?"

"Davina Sierra Vane... That sounds cool, don't you think, sweetie?" Mary asks with a warm smile, hoping it will be enough to let her ex-lover know just how grateful she is for this gesture.

The child nods, getting to her feet and running to her big brother. Charles is taken aback when she throws her little arms around his waist. "Thank you, Charlie!"

* * *

Quietly making her way to the bedroom she had chosen, Eleanor pays attention to her surroundings, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

Why did she have to forget her towel? Now she has to return to the room in nothing but shorts and a bikini top, praying she won't stumble upon a certain blue eyed criminal.

"So fucking stupid..." The blonde mutters, sighing in relief when she finally reaches the door to the bedroom she chose for the weekend.

Quickly shutting it behind her, Eleanor stares at her bag on the double bed. She probably should pack her stuff and leave. Spending the weekend in a ranch where Charles was, sleeping under the same roof as him... This whole situation just feels so surreal. And the chances of something bad happening are high.

She should go back. There's still a plan B for this weekend. Woodes had invited her for dinner at some fancy restaurant. Maybe she should call him and ask him to come pick her up, since she left her car back at the mansion.

She came with Max. And the blonde doubts her friend will be too eager to help her with getting out of this place.

Sitting on the bed and searching the bag for her phone, Eleanor tries to ignore the pain in her heart.

She's about to call Woodes when a memory from the previous night suddenly comes to her mind.

_After what felt like an eternity, she was finally having a Friday movie night with Scott and Madi again._

_Well, they actually had someone else with them this time._

_Eleanor smirks, noticing the way Scott keeps glancing at the other couch, scowling at the sleeping couple. His daughter slept peacefully, her head and left arm resting on John's chest, the con man's arms surrounding her safely._

_"She's happy. It's all that matters." The blonde says in a quiet voice, not wanting to wake them up, and her father figure sighs heavily._

_"I know. You're right. But I'm still getting used to this."_

_"It's understandable. Don't worry. It will probably get easier as the time passes."_

_He nods, looking away from the couple to meet Eleanor's eyes, an apologetic look on his face. "I have been so concerned for my biological daughter's well being, that I forgot about yours."_

_She smiles warmly at him, suddenly feeling so thankful for this chance to have him in this life again. "It's okay. I'm okay. Don't worry about me. You spent so much time doing this three centuries ago, away from your daughter. Your priority has to be Madi now."_

_He shakes his head. "Eleanor. You are not okay. I see it in your eyes. Is it him? How are things between you and Vane right now?"_

_She thinks about the last time she saw him, at the back of the Demeter, turning her head to hide the blush that comes to her cheeks._

_Yeah, it's probably not a good idea to tell her father figure about **that.**_

_"I... saw him, last weekend. At a club. He protected me from Ned. Again."_

_"Did something happen between you two?"_

_She bites her lip, not wanting to lie to Scott. "We kissed."_

_"And what did you feel?"_

_A heavy sigh leaves her lips. "What did I feel? I felt so fucking safe and warm, and happy... I felt that rush, that perfect strength that overcomes me whenever I'm near him. There was that wonderful sense of freedom... that's what I felt. That's what I always feel with him."_

_The blonde falls silent, clenching her jaw when she realizes she said too much. It's driving her crazy, not being able to hide her emotions and feelings as well as she did three centuries ago. What the fuck is wrong with her?_

_"And what do you feel with Rogers?"_

_She scowls, suddenly exhausted. "Nothing. Except for... a huge discomfort. As if I'm doing something wrong. I feel... trapped."_

_Silence reigns for a few moments before Scott speaks again. "This is killing you. You need to make a decision. Eleanor, you want to be with Captain Vane. It's clear as day, I think you should-"_

_"He's leaving." She interrupts him, suddenly wanting to talk about this painful subject with someone. Her voice comes out a bit louder than she expected and the blonde curses under her breath, looking over at the other couch._

_Madi stirs slightly in John's arms but neither of them wakes up._

_Sighing in relief, she meets her father figure's eyes again. "He's leaving. To Nassau. And then he and his accomplices will go in search of Blackbeard. They already have a lead on his whereabouts."_

_Scott frowns, staring at her for a moment. "And what are you going to do about that?"_

_She shakes her head, tears coming to her eyes. "I don't know. There's... so much I want to say to him. So much. But I don't know if I can... and I'm so fucking desperate. I... don't want him to leave. God knows if I'll ever see him again." Her voice breaks and she hides her face in her hands when a tear rolls down her cheek._

_"You said he's going to Nassau. Don't you want to see that place again?"_

_She lets out a dry, hollow laugh. "Fuck, I want it more than anything."_

_"Maybe if you tell him everything you feel... It will be enough to fix things between the two of you."_

_"It won't. And besides... I don't want to leave my father. I got this second chance with him, I can't throw it away."_

_Scott shakes his head. "You're wrong. Richard had a second chance. And he failed you, again. Do you really want to keep begging for the crumbs of his love? Or do you want to chase your happiness?"_

_Fresh tears come to her eyes._

_"I... can't. I know that the only way to stay with Charles would be leaving with him. But I don't want to leave my father behind. While at the same time, the mere thought of never seeing Charles again, it's... it's just too much..." A choked sob leaves her lips and Scott pulls her into a hug, his hand cradling the back of her head. It kills him to see her like this._

_"What am I gonna do?" She asks in a quiet whisper filled with pain and her father figure sighs, still holding her protectively._

_"You need to make a decision. I told you something three centuries ago. And now I'm going to say something similar. Eleanor, you need to be honest with yourself, stop for a moment to think about your choices and your feelings. You need to decide. Who do you need? Who do you love? You need to decide who do you trust. Who deserves your loyalty. Who deserves your love. Who deserves you."_

The blond clenches her jaw, putting her phone back into her bag.

Scott is right. She knows he is.

So is Max. And Caroline. And Madi.

They all genuinely care about her. About her happiness and her well being.

Just like Charles.

Unlike Rogers.

Unlike her father.

The sudden truth hurts like a punch to her face, and this scares her so fucking much. Eleanor can't remember the last time she was so honest with herself.

This is scary. This is new.

This is the unknown, and she's venturing into it. Probably for the first time, in this life as well as the previous one.

_Who do you need? Who do you love?_

Charles, who showed her what freedom and happiness felt like? The man who killed to keep her safe, who loved her in such a deep way that it scared her, who was always completely honest with her and saw her as his equal?

Or her father, who never really cared about her well being, leaving her to deal with her demons and her fears on her own?

Rogers? Who drugged her and lied to her. The man who caused her destruction three centuries ago. This...  _this animal_  who took a 9 year old girl away from her adoptive mom...

_Who deserves you?_

There's a knock on the door.

And her heart fills with hope.

Is it him?

"Yes?" Her voice comes out shaky and the blonde mentally kicks herself, not sure if she's sad or relieved when the door opens to reveal Max's worried face.

"Are you okay? You've been in here for a while."

"How long?"

"At least an hour. It's already getting dark outside."

Eleanor frowns in disbelief.

"Shit. I'm fine. I was just... thinking."

"About what?"

She sighs, getting up and pulling on a purple tank top. "You won't believe it. I was... honest with myself. For the first time in my life, I was actually completely honest with myself."

A bright smile comes to Max's face. "Took you long enough. How do you feel?"

"Scared. But also, so much lighter... It wasn't so bad."

"Are you going to say all these things to Vane, then?"

She sighs heavily. "I... want to try. But I don't know if I can."

"You want to try. That's a start."

"You think I can do it?"

"You have the whole weekend. Want a better opportunity than this? Maybe later tonight, after you two have sex, you can talk to him." She says with a smirk and Eleanor frowns.

"As if he will even get close to me."

"Oh, please! I bet two bottles of wine, that he won't be able to stay away and you two will sleep together before dawn comes."

Unable to contain her smirk, the blonde meets her friend's eyes as they make their way out of the room to go join the rest of the party. "You're on."

Eleanor never thought she would want to lose a bet so much in her life.

* * *

"She's right there! Let's go talk to her, please!" Davina whines, tugging at Charles' leather jacket while pointing to the blonde drinking with Max near the door to the house.

They were currently trying to enjoy the party at the concrete covered area in front of the house where most of the guests were gathered, people getting drunk and making the night more interesting.

The criminal sighs heavily, taking a drink of his rum. "Just go, kid. She won't bite you."

Davina huffs adorably in annoyance. "Fine. But I'll tell her that I saw you staring at her. You want to kiss her!"

Her voice fills with disgust when she says the last words and the criminal's eyes widen. He tries turning around to grab a hold of his sister's arm, but she's already halfway to Max and Eleanor.

Mary laughs at his distress. "Told you this kid was trouble."

* * *

"It's being painful to watch this. I wish you would just go to him already." Max says and the blonde rolls her eyes.

"Nothing's going to happen between me and-"

"Eleanor?" A quiet voice says from behind her and she turns around, frowning when she doesn't see anyone. But the mystery is solved when she lowers her eyes, finding Davina staring up at her curiously.

A smile automatically comes to her lips.

"Hi. It's good to see you again. And under happier circumstances."

The child nods, returning her smile. "Mama said you helped them find me. I wanted to say thanks."

Her heart fills with affection for this little girl with eyes identical to those of the man she loves. "I was happy to help. No child should be taken away from their parents."

Davina glances back over her shoulder before looking at the blonde with a wicked little smile. "I have a secret. Do you want to know?"

She shares a look with Max before handing her glass to her friend.

Bending down so the child could whisper in her ear, Eleanor is taken by surprise. "My big brother wants to kiss you. I know that because he keeps looking at you."

"Is that so?"

The girl nods, a conspiring look in her eyes. "And I saw you looking at him too. Why don't you just go talk to him? Grown-ups are stupid."

Before she could answer, Davina runs back to Charles and Mary.

Max laughs beside her, handing her the glass. "This is how pathetic you two are. Even a 9 year old child can see right through you."

The blonde shakes her head. This kid is really something else.

* * *

By 10 p.m., Davina is probably the only one sober in the ranch. She's starting to slow down, clearly getting tired but refusing to go to bed.

Eleanor is watching her from a distance, entranced, completely fascinated with finding small pieces of Charles in her features and her behavior.

She's tipsy and distracted, so when a strong hand comes to her waist, the blonde can't help but jump slightly, quickly turning her head to see who the hand belongs to.

Her heart skips a beat when she sees the blue eyed criminal, his face mere inches from hers.

She frowns at him but it fades away when he slowly blows the smoke from his cigarette into her face, moving his lips even closer to hers.

It takes her a couple seconds but she understands what his intentions are, parting her lips slightly to receive the smoke into her mouth.

Time seems to stop as they stare at each other, she can smell the rum mixed with the cigarettes on his breath, the urge to kiss him getting stronger with each passing second as heat pools low on her belly.

His lips touch hers briefly, softly, and he pulls away, turning around and walking back to Mary and his sister.

Leaving a flushed and confused Eleanor behind.

She glances at Max, rolling her eyes at the amused look on her friend's face. "What the fuck just happened?"

"He's teasing you. It's his favorite hobby, it seems."

Just as the blonde begins to think of a way to tease him back, Mary makes her way over to them, sharing a brief hug with Max before focusing her attention on Eleanor.

"You and I need to talk."

"Why?"

"I want to get to know the woman who helped us find my little girl, and I won't take no for an answer. Come on!"

Before she could protest, Mary grabs a hold of her arm, pulling her back towards the house.

* * *

Time seems to fly.

She's been talking to Mary for almost an hour, about Davina, about herself... the weirdest part is that she doesn't feel uncomfortable. That is, until they reach a certain topic.

"So what's your past with Charles? What the fuck did you do to him? He's just so stubborn, refusing to stay with you despite how much you two obviously want each other. Even Davina noticed. You must have done something really bad."

She sighs heavily, tears threatening to come to her eyes. "Yes. He has a good reason to be cautious around me. Let's just say... I did some stuff I regret deeply, because I was blind with grief and rage."

Mary grimaces. "Hmm, yep. These two feelings don't mix too well, and they usually make you do things you'll regret later."

The blonde nods, taking a look around the room, her heart clenching when she sees Charles' stuff on the other bed.

A sad thought comes to her mind and she meets Mary's eyes.

"You're the one who's been raising his little sister for the past three years. That probably creates a pretty strong bond between you two."

The woman smiles wolfishly, not failing to recognize the jealousy in her voice. "Yeah... I guess it does."

The door opens and Eleanor's heart skips a beat when she sees Charles coming in, holding a sleeping Davina in his arms.

Is this the same man capable of such barbaric acts like chopping off someone's head?

The two women get up from the bottom bunk bed and the criminal walks over to it, trying not to look at the blonde as she takes a few steps back.

"I don't know what happened. One minute she was dancing and playing. Then she started to get grumpy, laid her head on my shoulder, and next thing I knew, she fell asleep. Is this normal?" He asks in a whisper and Mary chuckles quietly, pulling the covers of the bottom bunk bed away. Charles wastes no time, laying the child down on the mattress.

"That's just how kids are, idiot. One minute they're playing, then the next they're out like a light." The woman sits on the bed again, caressing her little girl's hair softly and covering her small body with the blanket while Charles leans against the wall, watching them with a soft smile on his face.

And Eleanor's heart sinks.

She's an intruder here.

_"You three will surely be a beautiful family, once you leave."_  Is all she can think about as she wordlessly rushes out of the room, trying to contain her tears.

She just wants to be alone.

Remembering the secluded pool area, the blonde quickly makes her way over to it, stumbling a few times in the dark until she finally reaches her destination.

Thankfully, there's no one here. Apparently, it's too cold right now, and not even the drunk people back at the party want to go for a swim.

She doesn't give a damn.

Taking off the tank top, Eleanor wastes no time, jumping into the cold water, relieved to just be able to feel something...

She stays underwater for as long as she can before resurfacing, swimming to the edge of the pool.

Trying to ignore how much she's trembling from the cold, she stares up at the sky, easily finding her and Charles' star.

Tears burn in her eyes as she remembers that perfect weekend.

It's pretty ironic, really.

The best weekend of her whole life, and she only had it thanks to Teach. The best two nights she ever experienced were inside the cabin he had built with his own hands.

_Karma is definitely a bitch._

She probably stays in the water for almost an hour, lost in her thoughts, trying to ignore the cold.

It's only getting worse though, and just as she's starting to worry about hypothermia, footsteps sound from behind her.

The blonde clenches her jaw, wondering who was the idiot who came here to disturb her peace.

And then that grave voice reaches her ears.

"You're trembling."

A smile tugs at her lips and she refuses to turn around, not wanting him to see it.

"People do that when they're cold." She says in a sarcastic tone, tensing a little when he walks closer, closer, until he's right in front of her.

Eleanor looks up to meet his eyes and Charles frowns in concern when he sees her face. "Get out of the water right now. Your lips are starting to turn blue."

She scoffs at him. "No."

"You will get out of that pool. Don't make me drag you out of there, because I won't be gentle."

She watches him for a moment, seeing that he was serious. With a heavy sigh, she reaches for the ladder, her movements clumsy.

Is this because of the alcohol, or is she actually in the first stages of hypothermia?

His hands come to her arms, helping to pull her out of the water. The criminal stares at her shaking form for a moment before shrugging off his leather jacket and putting it on her shoulders. She immediately slips her arms into the sleeves, sighing in pleasure.

Just to be enveloped by his scent, it's enough to make heat spread through her veins.

He takes a look around the pool area, pointing to the stone fence surrounding it. "Take your shorts off and sit there."

This makes her sober up. "Excuse me?"

"I want to see the cuts."

"They're healing-"

"Your word means nothing to me. I want to see for myself."

She clenches her jaw but obeys anyway, taking the wet shorts off and hopping up on the stone fence with some difficulty, still trembling violently.

He inspects the healing cuts in silence, relieved to see that the chances of them reopening were pretty low now.

Eleanor would have some nasty scars. But she was going to be just fine.

Thanks to him and his care.

The image of her, sitting there on her bathroom floor, naked, with her thighs and hands covered in her blood flashes through his mind and he represses a shudder.

Thank God he got there just in time.

"You'll be okay." He says, letting go of her thigh. His hand comes to the pocket on the inside of the jacket to retrieve the cigarette pack, her breath hitching when his fingers brush the top of her left breast.

The criminal pulls away, leaning against the stone fence, right beside her, while lighting a cigarette.

She watches him smoke in silence for a minute before finally gathering the courage to speak. "Why are you here?"

He scoffs. "I was ready to go to sleep, but Mary kicked me out of the room."

"Why?"

"She was worried about you. Said I had to go looking for you. Guess it's your destiny to give me trouble, even when you don't intend to."

A smile tugs at her lips. "It must be."

He watches her trembling form closely, trying his best to fight against the urge of wrapping her in his arms to help warm her up. He refuses to show such weakness...

An idea forms in his brain.

The criminal takes a drag from his cigarette, slowly blowing out a ring of smoke, not breaking eye contact.

He watches in satisfaction as her eyes darken. It's a challenge and she knows it.

And she's too fucking tired of fighting him.

Her hands reach out for him, pulling him to her. He's happy to obey, a barely visible smirk of triumph on his lips as he crashes them against hers, strong hands already moving to her back beneath his leather jacket, pulling her flush against him.

Her skin feels so cold and concern takes him over. He needs to make sure she warms up as soon as possible.

She clings to him, desperate for warmth, her shaking legs wrapping around his hips.

Loud thunder sounds from above and the blonde jumps slightly, not breaking their kiss, wanting him closer, always closer...

She needs to enjoy this while she can.

Before he puts an ocean between them.

The criminal begins to nip at the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Fucking siren." He whispers close to her ear and she can't help but smirk in triumph.

"Not my fault if you can't stay away."

He tightens his grip on her waist in silent warning, pressing his hips to hers.

"You were the one who reached for me, Princess. Don't lie to yourself."

Her breath catches at the way he says the nickname. The affection is back in his voice. Tears burn in her eyes and she tangles her hands in his hair, closing her eyes to savor the feeling of his lips and teeth on her skin. She never wants to be away from him again. This feels like paradise.

"Please..." Her voice comes out breathy, her heart speeding up as he chuckles into her skin.

He pulls away suddenly, looking up at the sky with a clenched jaw. Only then she notices the rain starting to fall.

A frustrated groan leaves her lips. He'll probably just go back to his room now.

Her heart sinks when he pulls away but then the criminal meets her eyes with a barely visible smirk.

"Go to your room. I know where it is."

Goosebumps that have nothing to do with the cold erupt on her skin at his words and she's unable to contain her smile. Hopping off the stone fence, the blonde quickly retrieves her discarded tank top from the ground and pulls the shorts back on, covering her scars.

She steals one last glance at him before rushing back to her room, unable to fight away the bright smile on her face.

Excitement is taking her over as she closes the door behind her.

Her heart is beating so fast.

An idea forms in her brain and she doesn't think twice, discarding the shorts and the bikini before sitting on the bed, waiting for him in nothing but his leather jacket.

Three minutes pass. And then six.

And ten.

Eleanor begins to feel stupid.

Maybe she got the wrong message? Or he was just messing with her, in some sort of sick revenge.

What if he's already back in his room by now, with Mary and his sister? Smirking at the thought of her waiting for him impatiently.

She clenches her jaw, about to give up when the door opens and Charles steps inside the room, the sounds of the party filtering in for a second before he closes the door behind him.

"Couldn't resist the temptation to make you wait-" The criminal falls silent, his eyes darkening when he sees her there, waiting for him on the bed, wearing absolutely nothing but his leather jacket.

She scoffs at him, not averting her eyes. "Well, are you going to simply stand there, staring like an idiot, or-"

Any other words she might have said die in her throat, a surprised gasp leaving her lips when he closes the distance to the bed in the blink of an eye, pushing her down into the mattress and covering her body with his.

A wicked smirk tugs at his lips while he pins her hands above her head and she stares up at him with wide eyes, her heart rate increasing.

"I'm not the kind of man who stands and stares. You're probably confusing me for the governor."

She really wants to come up with some smart retort, but it's too hard to even think while one of his hands let go of her wrists, slowly traveling down her stomach.

Her breath hitches, her eyes not leaving his hand until it disappears between her thighs.

Closing her eyes, the blonde focuses only on enjoying the feeling of those skilled fingers moving inside her, shivering when she feels the criminal biting her earlobe.

"Bet you spent the whole fucking week longing for this, after I left you at the back of the Demeter." His voice is deeper than usual, raspy. Just the way she likes.

Not wanting him to stop, she decides to surrender, telling him what he wants to hear. "I did..."

He chuckles briefly at the sound of her breathy voice, his fingers picking up their pace until he has her squirming beneath him, her face flushed and her breathing heavy.

Whispers of his name are leaving her lips repeatedly, she's almost there and he knows it. But just like he did at the back of the Demeter, the bastard stops.

If looks could kill, she would have murdered him right now. "You have got to be kidding me!"

He smirks briefly at her and some of her anger fades away when she notices in the darkness of the room that he's discarding his clothes.

The blonde bites her lip in anticipation, turning the bedside table lamp on, the faint glow just enough to let them see each other more clearly. Her breath catches at the sight of his glorious naked body and she moves to take off his leather jacket. His hands interrupt her movements and she glances up at him with a frown.

"Keep it on." His tone sends a shiver down her spine and she's unable to stop looking in his eyes as he covers her body with his again.

Just like she's unable to stop the long moan that leaves her lips when she feels him inside her again, after all those weeks.

This must be what heaven feels like.

Fuck, she missed this so much.

It takes only a few thrusts before he has her on the edge again, and the criminal briefly thinks about denying her release for a third time. But he doesn't really want to stop. So he shows her mercy, finally letting her fall over the edge and reveling in the feeling of her sharp nails digging into the skin of his back.

Charles actually gives her a moment to recover before resuming his movements, kissing her lips and reminding her of the encounter inside his tent three hundred years ago.

Her pleasure builds again, surprisingly fast. He picks up the pace of his thrusts, wanting to hear more of the desperate, sweet sounds leaving her lips. And for some reason she suddenly remembers about all the other people in the ranch, including the 9 year old girl sleeping just a few rooms away.

Not really wanting anyone to hear them, Eleanor covers her mouth with one hand to keep herself from making too much noise, squeezing her eyes shut.

The criminal enjoys the sight for a moment before grabbing her hands and pinning them to the bed.

The blonde gives him a nasty look, earning her a sharp thrust of his hips. She cries out in pleasure and surprise while he brings her hands to the bed's headboard, her fingers wrapping around the rungs.

"Don't let go." He growls. "Or I'll stop."

She nods, trying to breathe, trying to hold on to whatever self control she still had left.

Any thoughts about the other guests hearing them are slowly being forgotten as they move against each other in that familiar, perfect synchrony, their eyes locking.

Charles is taken aback when he sees the unguarded, honest look in her eyes. She's not even trying to hide the longing and the adoration... the love.

_That's new._

A hint of despair comes to the blue-green depths he adores so much and he begins to thrust even harder, still not breaking eye contact. It's only the two of them in the world right now, the muffled sounds of the party completely forgotten.

She suddenly lets go of the bed's headboard, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him. The blonde cries out his name over and over again as she falls once more, this time pulling him with her.

Not really sure if it's blood, or sweat, or both under her fingertips, she holds on to his shoulders tightly as they ride out the waves of their pleasure, his breath hot against the skin of her neck.

When silence returns to the room, he pulls away to meet her eyes again, pressing a brief kiss to her lips before rolling off her.

She tries to catch her breath, slowly looking over at him. He's making no move to get dressed and leave. This is a good sign, right?

All Eleanor wants is to move closer and lay her head on his chest, but what if he leaves, like he did the last time at the hideout?

Her inner conflict is solved when he looks over at her, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. All her problems seem to vanish in the air as the criminal pulls her into his arms, happy tears burning in her eyes while he moves his hands under the leather jacket, caressing her back in a calm, soothing manner.

She closes her eyes, savoring his scent and his warmth. But the peace is soon broken.

The blonde jumps slightly when someone knocks on the door. They both tense up immediately, only to relax when they hear Max's happy voice. "You owe me two bottles of wine!"

Eleanor's laughter sounds in the room, making his heart feel lighter even as he frowns in confusion, meeting her eyes with a questioning look.

She shakes her head, still smiling. "Don't ask. It was a bet."

A smirk tugs at his lips. "Why are you laughing? You lost."

"I'm happy that I lost."

"I see."

Her fingers draw patterns on his chest, the smile refusing to leave her lips. She hasn't done this ever since before their memories came back, and she missed it so fucking much.

Truth be told, she missed everything about him.

_Everything._

_"Enjoy him while you can."_  A cruel voice says in her head, bursting her little bubble of happiness and bringing her back to reality harshly.

Her smile instantly disappears and she's unable to stop the tear that rolls from her eye, falling to his chest.

The criminal frowns, holding her chin to make her meet his eyes. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head but he gives her a hard look, letting her know he wanted honesty. "Eleanor."

She takes a shuddering breath. "Max told me you and the others are going to leave."

He lets go of her chin, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh. "She's right."

"She said that... the four of you were just waiting until you got Davina back, so you could get a boat and leave this place behind."

He nods. "Life in this fucking city is not for us."

More tears come to her eyes. "So you're leaving in the next few days."

He hesitates before shaking his head. "No. I told them there was a change of plans. We'll stay for two more weeks."

She frowns in confusion. "Why would you do that?"

He merely meets her eyes again, tightening his grip on her waist. And realization dawns on her.

"For me?"

The criminal sighs heavily, not answering her question, but his reaction is the only confirmation she needs.

Despair is slowly taking her over and she shakes her head, her lower lip trembling slightly as she meets his eyes again.

"Charles, I don't want you to leave."

"Too bad the world doesn't revolve around you and what you want."

His words are harsh, and he tries to keep his tone distant and cold. But she doesn't fail to recognize the hint of tenderness in his voice.

"We should get dressed." He says and she scowls.

"Why?"

"Well, for one... You're still shivering. And also, the door has no key. We can't lock it. Anyone could walk in. My sister, for example. She's been having nightmares after what your dear governor did to her, and she could come looking for me."

Her heart clenches for the little girl and she nods, getting to her feet.

They dress in silence before settling on the bed again.

He caresses her chin, staring deep in her eyes while she moves impossibly closer to his body, her fingers wrapping around the anchor pendant.

"If you want to say something to me... Your deadline is two weeks. After that, we leave."

She takes a deep breath. "There's a lot I want to tell you, but... I don't know if I can."

"Then be prepared to deal with the consequences. I'm leaving, never to come back again. You'll never get the chance to tell me the things you want me to know."

"So I'll never see you again?" Her voice breaks. Just like his heart.

"No. You won't."

Unable to contain herself, the blonde gives in to the despair, hiding her face in his chest as she cried uncontrollably, his hand caressing her hair.

"Please don't leave..."

_Please stay with me..._

_I need you._

**_I love you._ **

"That's not an option."

"I just... I don't want to lose you."

"Then come with us."

His offer makes her heart skip a beat. She wasn't expecting that at all.

Looking up at his face again, she shivers as he wipes her tears away, the intense look in his eyes making her feel so safe and loved...

"I can't."

"Because of your father."

Her silence is the only confirmation he needs.

Charles clenches his jaw, tightening his arms around her. "You see, that's your problem. How can you be so smart and so fucking stupid at the same time?"

She scowls, holding tightly to the anchor pendant while he continues to speak. "You decide if you want to change things, or continue to be a pathetic beggar for your father's love... I would have done anything, Eleanor. Anything. I would have gone to the ends of the world for you, doing everything I could to keep you safe and happy. All you had to do was choose to be with me. But instead you decided to pick up the crumbs of his love, while all he ever did was to abandon you."

The truth hurts.

A soft whimper escapes her lips and she hides her face in the crook of his neck, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The criminal scoffs, anger evident in every muscle of his body. This is such a big contrast to his fingers, still caressing her arm and back in such a soothing, loving way...

"You know what the worst part was? As much as I tried, I just couldn't bring myself to fully hate you. Seeing you in those ridiculous dresses, with a corset keeping you from breathing properly, seeming to squeeze the life out of you... Seeing you acting like that... So lost, looking like a shell of yourself, a distorted version of the person you truly were, with those arrogant bastards... All I could think about during my last seconds of life was what would happen to you. I was so fucking worried about you. Wondering if you would be safe, if you would be okay without me to rescue you from those sick idiots."

Her breath catches at this revelation and she meets his eyes, hoping he could somehow read her mind, so she wouldn't have to say all the things she wants out loud.

But of course he can't.

So she settles for pressing her lips to his, one tear falling from her cheek to his.

He moves to cover her body with his, but a quiet voice just outside the room makes them stop.

"Charlie? Where are you?"

The criminal sighs. "In here, kid."

The door opens slowly, revealing a frightened Davina. She moves closer to the bed, her big brother letting go of Eleanor and sitting up on the mattress.

"Charlie, I had a scary dream. About Mr. Rogers." Tears are glinting in her eyes and her lower lip trembles, but the little girl refuses to cry.

The criminal shares a brief look with Eleanor before getting to his feet, the blonde's heart breaking into a million pieces for the poor child.

"Mary is sleeping in the bunk above yours, why didn't you wake her up?" He asks, doing his best to keep his voice somewhat soft.

"Because I wanted you, not her." She whines, reaching for him.

Charles sighs, lifting her in his arms.

The little girl immediately hugs his neck, clinging to him and closing her eyes while he makes his way to the door.

"Will you come back?" Eleanor asks in a quiet, sad voice, making him pause for a moment.

He just gives her a glance before leaving the room.

After half an hour, he's not back, and her hope of falling asleep in his arms is vanishing with each passing second. A storm is now falling heavily outside. The blonde reaches for his leather jacket on the foot of the bed before putting it on, over her nightgown.

His scent comforts her and she closes her eyes, trying to fall asleep, but it's so cold...

She's on the verge of unconsciousness when the door opens for a moment. Within seconds, Charles is pulling her to his chest again. She sighs in relief and satisfaction, a soft smile playing on her lips as she instantly feels warmer and safe.

"Thought you wouldn't come back."

"Davina was too scared. It was hard to make her go back to sleep."

Her chest tightens painfully and Eleanor suddenly feels ashamed.

"I'm sorry for what Woodes did to her."

"It's not your fault. For once, it's not your fault."

"I'm still... having some trouble believing he did such an awful thing."

A dry, hollow laugh leaves his lips. "Because he's Mr. Perfect, isn't he? Your are such a hypocrite, did you know that? You called me an animal, but I bet you closed your eyes to all the horrible things your perfect little husband did. What's your logic? There's no problem in being a monster, as long as you hide behind a red coat or a fancy business suit? At least I never tried to hide my darkness. Unlike him and all those other arrogant bastards."

Yep. The truth definitely hurts.

But as painful as it is, he never tries hiding it from her.

And she hates him for it. She really does.

While at the same time, she loves him for treating her like this.

Like his equal.

Not hiding anything, knowing she won't break, like some fragile damsel in distress.

_Because he knows me. The real me._

Sighing heavily, she looks up at him. "He's not so bad. He saved me-"

He clenches his jar hard, her words being interrupted when she feels him tightening his grip on her arm. It almost hurts, and she scowls at him.

"Why does it always take something extreme to make you see what's right in front of you? What will it take for you to lose this sick devotion for the governor? If drugging you and kidnapping a child isn't enough, then what does he have to do for you to see who he truly is?"

_"Rape you?"_  Max's voice sounds in her head and she shivers, subconsciously moving closer to him.

Wanting to feel protected.

But why is she so afraid? Woodes would never do something like that to her. No. She's sure of it.

They stay silent for a few long minutes, listening to the rain and the songs still playing outside. The hand drawing patterns on her shoulder goes still and Eleanor frowns.

"You still awake?" She asks softly, feeling him nod in response.

"Usually it's hard for me to sleep when there's a storm."

She looks up at him, meeting his eyes, his hand moving from her shoulder to her thigh, caressing her scars through the nightgown.

"Why?"

"Old habits die hard. I stay in alert mode. Before the memories came back, I didn't understand why. But now... I guess somewhere deep in my subconscious, I still think I have a ship to command and protect."

A wave of guilt washes over her. "Do you... miss her? The Ranger?"

She watches as he stares up at the ceiling, pain flickering in his eyes. "Yeah. I do."

The blonde lets her head drop back to his chest, a barely audible "Sorry" leaving her lips.

He's not sure if she had wanted him to hear it or not.

"Did you sleep with Mary? After finding her again." Her voice cuts the heavy silence like a knife a few minutes later and the criminal sighs, not answering her question.

"You did." There's a hint of pain in her voice, and anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed it. But he knows her better than anyone.

"That night, when you were on the Eurydice. I saw you."

She frowns, meeting his eyes. "How?"

"I was in a fishing vessel with Jack, Anne and Mary. We were taking care of... something. Jack noticed the yacht and gave me a spyglass. I saw the governor carrying you below deck. After that, I slept with Mary."

Tears burn in her eyes. "You had no idea I was drugged."

He scoffs, holding her closer. "Rogers wouldn't be alive right now if I knew about that back then."

A shiver goes down her spine. "What would you have done?"

"I would have waited until he fell asleep. Then I would break into his quarters. I would torture him until he begged me to kill him. And then I'd take you back to the fishing vessel with me."

She tenses a little in his arms. "I can't believe you were so close to me that night. I saw the outline of the fishing vessel, but I never imagined... I just can't believe both of us were at the sea, so close."

"The past comes back to life." He says in a distant voice and she smiles briefly.

"Indeed."

She shivers when his hand moves under the nightgown, his fingers softly tracing the healing cuts. "How old were you? When it started."

She thinks for a moment, surprised to see she doesn't really remember. "Around 12, I think."

His heart clenches. Only 3 years older than his little sister.

The thought of his lady Honeypot having to go through so much pain, alone, at such a young age...

If only he found her sooner.

_"She deserved all of it",_  A voice says in his head.

But as much as he agrees with it, it's a little hard not to care about her suffering.

"You're good with her. Davina." She meets his eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

He sighs heavily. "I'm as surprised as you are."

"Who would've ever known." She chuckles briefly, snuggling closer, her fingers tracing the muscles on his abdomen. "The great Charles Vane looking after his 9 year old sister and chasing away her nightmares."

Just like a caring father.

Her heart flutters at this thought.

And for a second she wishes she was not on birth control.

Only for a second.

This somewhat peaceful and happy atmosphere fades away, the sad thoughts about what would happen in two weeks creeping in again.

Eleanor takes a shuddering breath, closing her eyes and gathering some courage...

"It's exhausting." She begins, trying hard to ignore the urge to just shut up and not tell him the stuff she told Max. "To deal with the conflicting emotions. The conflicting feelings. I feel like I should want to choose the most rational path, marrying him again and staying with my father, the three of us managing the Trading Company, together. This would make my father proud and happy, we would be a family. This was all I ever wanted. But then you found me again and turned my life upside down. I fucking hate you for that. I hate you for always showing me the truth, I hate that you can always see right through me, I hate how you're the only person in this world that makes me feel alive and free. I hate the huge relief I feel whenever I see you alive, whenever I hear your heartbeat. I hate the remorse, the intense guilt that overcomes me when I see this fucking birthmark..." Her fingers come to his neck, tears burning in her eyes.

He listens in silence, unable to believe she's actually opening up to him. She's not done yet and he knows it.

He also knows that whatever comes next, it's really hard for her to say out loud. So the criminal waits patiently, his fingers tracing the scars on her thigh in silent support.

She takes a deep breath, deciding to just repeat what she had said to Max. "When I was dying... I felt so small... I thought about what could have been, about how I could be out there, on a ship somewhere in the middle of the ocean, with you,  _free_... It was all I wanted in that moment, all I could think about, that and my... my..." Eleanor trails off, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She can't tell him about the baby.

Not yet, at least. She's not ready to talk about this with him. Not ready for his reaction.

"Your what?"

She stays silent, her tears falling to his chest. The criminal grabs her chin, making her meet his eyes. "Eleanor. Your what?"

She shakes her head, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, her fingers wrapping around the anchor pendant again. "I can't..."

He sighs heavily, knowing she still has a lot to say. But obviously, she has reached her limit for now.

At least it was a start. She's making an effort.

She cries against the skin of his neck for several minutes until exhaustion begins to take her over. His fingers rubbing soothing patterns on her back beneath the leather jacket while his other hand rested on her scarred thigh only made it even harder for her to fight against sleep.

She feels so warm and safe, the reassuring sounds of his heartbeat and his breathing beginning to lull her to sleep against her will.

His hand leaves her thigh, moving to join the other one on her back under the jacket. He locks his hands together, holding her safely in his arms

As she gives in to unconsciousness, Eleanor feels Charles kissing her forehead. "Two weeks, lady Honeypot. Two weeks."


	39. Rings and Prayers

**_1.710_ **

**_Nassau_ **

_She collapses on top of a solid chest, breathing heavy, body extremely satisfied._

_Strong arms go around her waist, rolling them on the bed so they both laid on their sides._

_Charles._

_Her fingers trace his jawline, a soft smile tugging at her lips as he watches her._

_God, she had missed him so much this time._

_"Did anyone see you coming here?"_

_"Only Mr. Scott." Her eyes fall closed as his lips touch her forehead._

_"He will give me hell for it tomorrow. But I don't care."_

_She feels him smirking against the skin of her forehead. Her fingers caress his exposed chest, a soft sigh leaving his lips._

_"I got you something." He gets up, moving to retrieve something from the small bag he had brought with him and she props herself up on an elbow, admiring the view of his naked body in the faint candlelight._

_When he comes back and sits on the bed, taking her hand in his, she frowns. It's a ring._

_He sees the distress in her eyes, a brief chuckle escaping him._

_"Relax. It's not a fucking proposal. I just saw it and you came to my mind." He slips the ring on her finger._

_"It suits you." He says simply, patting her hand before moving to lay down beside her again while she stares at the ring with a smile._

_"I like it. Thank you." she says, leaning forward to kiss him._

_There's nothing but peaceful silence for a few minutes, the pirate's fingers drawing patterns on the skin of her back._

_"I would have said no, by the way." Eleanor finally breaks the silence and he chuckles._

_"I know."_

_"Do you?"_

_He nods, holding her closer. "And I don't give a damn. I don't ever want to get married."_

_She nods. "Me neither. I don't want people to see me as a man's property... that would kill me slowly every day."_

_He smirks, covering her body with his. "Then I'm afraid you're stuck with me. Any other man would want to force you into marriage. But stay with me, and you won't ever need to worry about that."_

_The blonde rolls her eyes at him, though she's unable to contain her amused smile. "Good. I wouldn't want to put poison in your food."_

_He raises an eyebrow at her. "Liar."_

_The happy, carefree laugh that escapes her lips goes straight to his heart, illuminating even the darkest corners of it for a second._

_She kisses him, humming in approval when the pirate runs one of his hands down her side, both of them getting ready for round two._

_And hours later, when Charles is asleep, she listens to his heartbeat, staring at the ring on her finger with a bright smile._

_It scares her a little, honestly. But she's just too happy right now, so it's better to wait until the morning, then she can start over-thinking and freaking out about this whole thing._

_Because for now, the only thing Eleanor wants to do is stay here, in her pirate's arms, reveling in his warmth._

_After taking one last look at the ring, she lets her eyes fall closed._

_His heartbeat and peaceful breathing instantly begin to lull her to sleep. She tangles one hand in his hair while bringing the other one to her waist, where his left hand was resting. After hesitating for a moment, the blonde intertwines her fingers with his, praying he won't wake up._

_He doesn't, merely pulling her impossibly closer to his body while burying his nose in her hair._

_A satisfied sigh leaves her lips and she enjoys the feeling of his fingers locked with hers, knowing she would probably regret this in the morning._

_But at least for now, everything's just perfect in her little bubble of happiness._

_This is paradise, and Eleanor falls asleep with a sincere, unguarded smile on her face._

* * *

**Present Days**

**Los Angeles**

The tension in Richard's office is palpable. It's been two days since the weekend ranch party, and Eleanor still can't believe she actually opened up a little to Charles.

She tries her best to hide behind the notebook, extremely uncomfortable with the way Woodes is watching her closely from the sofas in the middle of the room.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

The blonde glances up at him from behind her father's desk. "I'm simply busy."

He scoffs. "Well, so am I. But I still find the time to come here and see you."

_"It's not like I ask you to come here."_ The thought runs through her mind and she almost says the words out loud.

After what happened with Charles' little sister, she doesn't really want to be near this man who was once her husband. But it's not just that...

Woodes has been acting different. He also looks different. There's a strange glint to his tired eyes. He looks like he hasn't had a full night of sleep for the last few days.

He seems almost haunted...

Was this just because Davina and Mary escaped?

No... There's something else.

And Eleanor is not sure if she wants to find out what it is.

"I had hoped we could have done something last night." His words bring her out of her thoughts and she quickly thinks of an answer.

"I was too tired."

He shakes his head, and his voice scares her a little when he speaks again in a sarcastic, accusing tone. "Yes, I imagine. Must have been exhaustive to spend the whole damn weekend partying with those filthy commoners."

The last time she heard him speak like this was probably three centuries ago, after he found out Charles had been her lover.

Her jaw clenches and she closes the notebook, meeting his eyes and trying her best not to let her fear show.

"You're so bored that you have to watch my every move?"

"Your father told me, actually. We don't want you to behave like that, ever again. Do you understand that?" He gets to his feet, walking over to the desk and stopping right in front of her.

She tenses and he notices, offering her a smile in an attempt to calm her down. But it looks so fake. He's usually better at this.

_What's wrong with him?_

Her heart skips a beat when he reaches for her hand, dropping to his knees in front of her chair. "I'm looking out for you. You know I just want to protect you."

"You have a funny way of showing it... I'm not a servant you can boss around. I'm..."

The blonde trails off. She almost said  _"I'm your wife."_

He narrows his eyes at her. "What are you?"

She stays silent and he clenches his jaw hard. "I'll tell you what you are. You are my fiancée. Even if there's no ring on your finger yet. But that will change, soon enough. You know why?"

She keeps watching him with wide eyes, trying to keep her breathing calm and shaking her head lightly.

He smirks. "Because Richard and I are growing tired of your little games. You were getting closer to me a while ago, and now you're pushing me away again. This behavior must end. People are starting to talk. So I'm sorry, darling, but I fear that if you don't start to cooperate soon, your father and I will have to take some... drastic measures."

"What do you mean?"

"Please don't be scared. I know this may sound too extreme. But we just want to do what's best for you. We care about you and your well being-"

"For fuck's sake, just spit it out!" She snaps and he stares at her face in silence for a moment, surprised by her outburst.

Sighing heavily, he gets to his feet, looking down at her before continuing. "I have a room ready for you at my family's mansion."

"What?"

"You've been acting too strange. Richard and I think there's something going on with you. Something that may threaten your safety. We're worried, Eleanor. Your behavior changed drastically in a matter of days. There must be a reason behind this. So if you don't start acting like yourself again soon, well... We'll be forced to keep you trapped, to make sure you won't get yourself in trouble."

She scoffs in disbelief and he offers her a half smile. "I wish we didn't have to do this, love. But you leave us no choice. Unless you go back to normal-"

"What is your idea of 'normal'? You mean if I start accepting your advances again, don't you?"

His jaw clenches for a second before he gets his anger under control, reaching inside his pocket. Her heart almost stops when she sees the small, blue velvet box in his hand. He lets her stare at it for a moment.

"Whenever you're ready." Is all the man says before putting the small box back into his pocket, turning around to walk to the door.

She gets to her feet, following him with a scowl on her face, despair slowly spreading in her chest. "Woodes!"

He stops, his hand on the doorknob, looking at her over his shoulder.

"How much time do I have?"

He simply shakes his head with a smirk, glancing down to watch her fingers as she nervously held the fabric of her knee-length skirt.

And his eyes cloud over.

She waits for a few moments, starting to panic when he doesn't come back to reality on his own.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Woodes?"

He blinks hard before looking at her face again. The almost crazed look in his eyes makes her heart skip a beat.

His tone is distant when he finally speaks. "Have I ever seen you knitting? In a dress?"

His words make her blood run cold.

_Lie. Just lie._

"No... Never. Why?"

He shakes his head lightly to clear his thoughts, offering her an empty smile. "I've just been having strange dreams. Nothing to be worried about. Have a good day, darling. And think about what I said."

He leaves her alone in the office.

And she has to fight hard against the urge to just sink to the ground and give in to the despair, crying her eyes out.

Instead of doing this, she grabs her blazer, rushing out the door.

All she needs is to get out of this mansion for a while.

* * *

"Why do you smoke?"

His sister's voice brings him out of his thoughts and he looks over his shoulder, seeing her rubbing her eyes, still in her PJs. "That was a quick nap."

"Answer me, Charlie!"

He sighs, tossing the cigarette out the window. It wasn't finished yet, but Mary would kill him if she saw him smoking near Davina.

It's not like he's worried about the little girl's health though. Not at all.

Or so tries to convince himself.

The criminal sits down on the couch, his little sister joining him.

"I just feel good when I smoke. I've been doing it for a long time."

A sad look comes to the child's eyes and he frowns. "What is it?"

"Did you ever inject something in your skin?"

Her words catch him by surprise. "Yes... But how do you know people do that?"

"Because I saw mama doing it, and then she died..." Her eyes fill with tears, her lower lip trembling. His heart clenches. "I don't want you to die too, Charlie."

She throws herself into his arms, crying, and he hesitates before holding her reassuringly, one hand caressing her hair.

"It's okay, kid. It's been a while since the last time I did that. How about I promise to never do it again?"

She pulls away to meet his eyes, her tears stopping. "Really?"

He nods, giving her a brief smile. "You don't have to worry about my safety, Davina. I'm a survivor. Always was, always will be."

Her eyes come to his neck and she frowns adorably, touching the faint line around it. "Why you have this on your neck?"

Shit. What can he say?

"It's a birthmark."

"Birthmark?"

"Some people have them."

"Why?"

"Because they're born with it."

"Why?"

He narrows his eyes at her. "Because that's just the way it is."

"That's not an answer, Charlie!"

The criminal sighs heavily, rubbing his forehead while Jack chuckles, emerging from his and Anne's room. His leader gives him a look filled with warning, but it only makes him even more amused.

"Priceless. This is just priceless. Oh, I love this kid."

Charles clenches his jaw but his anger fades away as an idea comes to his mind.

"Where's Anne?" He asks, already knowing what the answer was.

"With Max. She'll be back later."

His sister frowns, eyes filling with curiosity as she transfers her attention from him to his accomplice.

Just like he had planned.

"Why you two make weird noises with Aunt Max?"

His face goes pale and it takes him a while to find his voice again. "Excuse me?"

"Charlie said that-"

His accomplice looks over at him, horror written all over his face. "What have you been telling her? She's 9 years old, for fuck's sake!"

"Language!" Mary's amused voice comes from Charles' room. She's clearly having fun with their suffering.

"Sorry!" Jack calls out, his brain already working to come up with a revenge. He smirks, meeting Davina's eyes. "Hey kid. Back at the ranch, did your brother stare at Eleanor?"

Ignoring the hard look from his leader, he focuses on the child, watching in delight as she nodded with a roll of her eyes.

"All the time. Charlie, when are we going to see her again?"

He sighs heavily, glancing over at his accomplice. "You're screwed."

Jack smirks. "Oh, but it's so worth it. Davy, ask Charlie to invite her over. So you can see her."

The girl perks up, Mary groaning in annoyance from Charles' room. She hates this little nickname Jack came up with.

It only made her think about Davy Jones, but Davina liked it, so there's not much she can do.

"Can we do that, Charlie? Please!"

"No. Aunt Anne hates Eleanor. If she sees her here, things could get ugly."

Jack grimaces. "Oh, he's right, kid. I forgot about that. Well, it's a shame. You should hear the 'weird noises' these two make-"

He flinches away when his leader gives him a hard look, Mary's exasperated voice reaching their ears. "I swear I'll go over there and murder the two of you if this doesn't stop, RIGHT. NOW. God, you two are worse than children!"

* * *

"Here you go, sweetheart."

Eleanor smiles briefly as her mother sets a mug of chamomile tea in front of her.

She's grateful for the gesture, even though she knows it probably won't help to calm her nerves.

The only thing that could possibly soothe her right now is the embrace of a certain criminal.

Caroline sits down by her side, taking one of her hands in hers and sharing a look with Scott. He sat on the other side of the couch, rubbing Eleanor's shoulder reassuringly.

"So Rogers is starting to remember too." Madi says, disgust and hate clear as day in her voice.

The blonde nods, looking up at her. "I saw it in his eyes. He said he's been having strange dreams.

"And he said that if you don't go back to 'normal'... He will trap you in his family's mansion." She continues and Eleanor nods.

"What are your plans?" Scott asks, concern filling his tired eyes.

"I don't know... I've been thinking of a million possible scenarios... None of them looks too good."

"You can't do this on your own, baby. Let us help you." Caroline says and Scott nods in agreement.

"Listen to your mother."

"We can help you, Eleanor. You don't have to be alone in this. Even John will help, he'll do this for me." Madi says, and the con man leaning against the wall near the living room's entrance rolls his eyes. But he doesn't protest either.

The blonde sighs heavily, hiding her face in her hands.

"We could help, yes..." Scott begins, sharing a look with Caroline. "... but I think we all know that there's a possibility it wouldn't be enough. We may need some... strength."

The blonde looks up to meet her father figure's eyes, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "No. Keep him out of this. If Charles finds out about this, he... It will be a disaster. He'll go crazy, there will be bloodshed, and I fear for my father's safety."

Madi scoffs. "I wouldn't be too opposed to seeing the governor's head on a spike. And about Richard, he never cared too much about you, right? My dad raised you. Not him.  _Again._  So why do you care so much?"

"I care because he's my father. No matter what he does."

John, who had been silent since she arrived, finally speaks up.

"What the hell's your problem?" He gestures to the other people in the living room. "These people love you, and you still cling to someone who doesn't. I guess some things never change."

Eleanor narrows her eyes at him. "You don't know me."

The blonde looks down at the mug in her hand, silence stretching for a few moments before she speaks again. "I just wish Flint was here. He would know what to do."

She glances up at John, watching as he stood there, his expression unreadable. "I've been wanting to find him. But there aren't any clues... You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?"

John stares at her for a moment.

"No. Maybe he didn't come back." Is all he says before storming out the front door.

Madi rubs her forehead with a sigh, muttering a quiet "excuse me" before getting to her feet and following the con man.

Eleanor frowns in confusion for a second, shaking her head lightly and looking at Scott. "Promise me you won't bring Vane into this. At least for now. I can handle this."

"And how exactly do you plan on handling this?"

"I've been thinking about something. I'll pay attention to their behavior, and wait for as long as I can. But as soon as I suspect they will try to trap me, I... I accept the fucking engagement ring."

Caroline gasps, tightening her grip on her daughter's hand. "You'll marry him?"

"No. It won't come to that. I just need to let them think they're winning."

"For how long, Eleanor?" Scott asks, shaking his head. "How long until they lose their patience and force you to go through with the wedding?"

"This is just a temporary solution. I'll think about something. I always do. Don't worry about it."

Caroline sighs. "Sweetheart, there's something you're not telling us. What is it?"

The blonde hesitates, thinking about what happened during the weekend. She's surprised to realize that she actually wants to talk to them about it.

There's definitely something wrong with her.

Or is she getting better?

"Last weekend, I... spent some time with Charles."

Caroline smirks, meeting Scott's eyes with a knowing look on her face. A soft blush comes to Eleanor's cheeks as her father figure's shifts on the couch, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Seriously, mom?" She mutters to the medium, who only chuckles in response.

"I didn't get the chance to put you in awkward situations as a teenager, let me enjoy this now."

She shakes her head, though a soft smile tugs at her lips. "Anyway... we talked. I... opened up a bit, about my feelings and everything."

"Honey, that's great! How did you feel?" Caroline asks, a bright smile on her face.

"A little uncomfortable, but... it wasn't so bad. I felt lighter, somehow... it just felt like the right thing to do."

"That's because it was the right thing to do. I'm so proud of you." Her mother gives her a brief hug, unable to stop smiling. "You two will make such beautiful grandchildren for us... Don't you think, Scott?"

The security man rubs his forehead, glancing at Eleanor with a grimace.

"I know. I'm as uncomfortable as you are." She tells him, a soft smile on her lips.

He clears his throat again, patting the blonde's back affectionately. "I'm proud of you too. And happy to see that you followed my advice. It's good to see you're being honest with yourself while it's not too late this time... But... you said that Vane would leave. Any updates on this situation?"

Happiness flickers in her eyes. "He said they will be staying for two more weeks."

"Because of you."

She frowns at Scott. "How do you know?"

"Because I know how Vane is. The only possible reason for him to take the risk of staying... is you. Like always. You're his weakness."

Pain flickers in her eyes, self-hatred taking her over. "I'm his destruction."

"You _were._  It's in the past, and you need to let it go. You're making the right decisions this time."

She forces a smile, her father figure's words doing little to soothe her.

The security man sighs, a hard look coming to his eyes. "You better be right. You better find a permanent solution before they try forcing you to go through with the wedding. Because if they do... I  _will_ go to Vane and ask him for his help. I don't care if he kills them. I don't care if this makes you hate me. Your well being is more important."

She scowls, Caroline nodding immediately. "I'm with Scott."

The blonde sighs, getting to her feet and heading over to a window.

As she stares outside, watching the sunset, there's a pang in her heart. The beautiful sight only makes her feel even more depressed, a sad reminder behind this wonderful show of the nature.

Another day is coming to an end.

One day closer to her deadline.

_"Two weeks, lady Honeypot. Two weeks."_

Eleanor takes a shuddering breath, quickly doing the math in her head while Scott and Caroline watched her from the couch, their eyes filled with concern for their little girl.

12 days. She has 12 days now.

12 days to make a life changing decision.

She knows it's probably useless trying to convince Charles to stay in LA.

No. There are only two choices. Leaving with him, uncertain of what awaited her. Leaving her home and her father behind. Giving up the life she always knew, for one filled with danger.

Living in the ocean.

Seeing Nassau again...

Eventually having to face Teach...

Would he try to kill her?

_"Charles will keep you safe",_  A voice says in her head, tears coming to her eyes as she thinks about how he would have kept her safe three hundred years too.

Yes, choosing this path would give her a dangerous life again. Like the one she had before.

But she would get to stay with the man she loves.

On the other hand... If she chooses to stay here with her father, in the safety of the mansion, she would never see her Captain again.

Just to think about this, it makes her heart break.

She would spend all the time worrying about him. Wondering where he was, if he was okay, or even alive...

Just like she did every damn time he went out into the open sea with his crew, back in their previous lives.

She never admitted it. But he knew. Of course he knew. The smirk he always gave her when he came back to dry land was the confirmation.

How exactly are things between them right now? Can she go to him?

All she wants right now is to see him and hear his voice...

And that's why hours later, when Eleanor is sitting on her bed, wearing the criminal's shirt, she almost sends him a text.

Staring down at her phone, the blonde reads what she had typed.

_"Can you come over? I want to see you."_

Did it make her seem weak? Maybe she should change a thing or two before sending it...

Or maybe she shouldn't send it at all.

Sighing heavily, she turns her phone off, setting it on the bedside table before laying down. Getting under the blankets despite knowing they are nothing compared to Charles' embrace, she allows her mind to wander.

Thoughts begin to invade her brain, Thoughts of a life at sea with the man she loves .

A smile tugs at her lips as Eleanor thinks about going back home. She longs for this so much it hurts.

A scoff leaves her lips when the blonde realizes that she was in a really similar situation before, three hundred years ago.

Like she told Max, sometimes in the silence of the night after her husband was sleeping, she would let her mind wander, thinking about what could have happened, had she chosen to stay with Charles. She would do her best to ignore the way her heart clenched at the thought. But deep down, she knew how much she wished this was still possible.

It wasn't. Of course not. Charles was gone back then.

But now he's not.

He's alive, he still loves her.

He's risking his safety, as well as the safety of his accomplices and little sister staying in LA.

_All because of her._

Now, she can choose to stay with him. Not just dream about it.

Because he's alive. Because there's no husband sleeping by her side.

No husband.

_She's free._

_"Not yet",_  A voice reminds her.

But she can be free. She wants to be free.

"What the fuck am I going to do?" The blonde whispers to the darkness of her room before staring up at the ceiling, deciding to do something she hasn't done in at least 14 years.

"If there's a God up there... Help me with this. Help me decide. And help me to find Flint. I really need his guidance right now. I miss it... Just help me. Please."

Praying? She's definitely hopeless.

Reaching for the bottle of sleeping pills on her bedside table, Eleanor feels tears burning in her eyes.

And when she finally falls asleep thanks to the medicine, she dreams.

There are no nightmares.

No hanging.

Only wonderful, perfect dreams about traveling the seas with the man she loves.


	40. Show me Love

"I think this whole 'two weeks' story is bullshit." Anne's voice suddenly cuts the peaceful silence and Max opens her eyes, staring at the redhead with a frown.

"What?"

"He's hopeless. I don't know what spell that blonde witch cast on him, but looks like it's still working, even after three hundred years."

"What are you talking about, darling?"

"Charles. And that stupid cunt you love so much. I don't know if he'll actually be able to leave her behind. The first sign of danger... And he'll use it as an excuse to stay. To keep her safe."

"You really think so?" Max asks, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"I know him. And yes, that's what I think will happen. I hope I'm wrong though. I hope we actually do leave this fucking city, and soon."

"Well, I certainly won't mind if you guys stay for a while longer." Anne looks over at her again, frowning at the sight of her sad eyes.

An idea forms in her brain.

"Why don't you come with us? I could convince Charles to let you on board the ship when we get it. You could stay with us."

"Jack and I would kill each other sooner or later if we had to spend all the time together in a ship."

The redhead laughs. "Guess we'll find out what will happen soon enough. One week is gone. It's Friday already."

Later that night, a very amused Max watches from the doorway to Charles' room as the trio's leader and Mary try to make Davina go to sleep.

She can see the criminal is eager to leave this place. Apparently, he has had enough of being around a child for now. Charles is just waiting until his little sister falls asleep, so he can go to the other hideout to drink alone and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Her phone suddenly vibrates in her pocket and she pulls it out, her heart skipping a beat when she sees Eleanor's name on the caller ID. Stealing a quick glance at the bathroom's door to make sure Anne is still locked in there taking a shower, Max quietly makes her way out the front door before answering the call.

"Be quick. I'm at the hideout, Anne's in the shower-"

She immediately falls silent when a broken sob comes from the other side of the line, a worried frown coming to her face. "Eleanor?"

_"Is he... Do you know where Vane will be tonight?"_

"Why?"

_"I just need to see him. I need him."_

She's crying. Her voice sounds so broken and sad...

"You're in luck. He's leaving to go drink at the other hideout later, he's just waiting until Davina falls asleep. Mary was worried that seeing him leave in the middle of the night would cause some painful memories to resurface, so he's waiting. Mon ange, what happened?"

Another sob.

_"I can't... We'll talk later. Thank you. Don't tell him about this, or he'll avoid me. Please."_

She hangs up and Max actually tries calling her again to see if she could get any answers, but apparently, the blonde turned off her phone.

Making her way back inside the main space of the hideout, she sighs heavily, trying not to feel so worried and praying Davina will fall asleep soon.

Her friend needs help.

* * *

**1 hour earlier**

Loud thunder sounds from above and Eleanor jumps slightly, pausing in her walk through the mansion's corridors. Looks like there will be another storm.

This crazy weather is really starting to freak her out.

Continuing to walk, she starts to think about what she can do this weekend.

The Demeter? Would a certain criminal be there? Or should she just stay home, taking care of business?

Her thoughts are interrupted when she walks past the door to her father's office and he calls her name.

Frowning, the blonde turns around and walks inside, her blood running cold when she sees the state her father is in.

He's drunk, a glass of whiskey in one hand while the other held Caroline's small portrait.

Clenching her jaw, she raises her chin at him. "What do you want?"

The man lets out a dry, hollow laugh. "There's a lot that I want. But I'm afraid that 99% of it isn't possible."

His slurred words make her heart clench. But her face remains a expressionless mask.

As the rain begins to fall outside, she stands there, not averting her eyes, not showing any signs of weakness or emotion.

This seems to make him angry.

"Look at you. Standing there like an ice queen, as if you own the world. No emotions. You're so different from your mother. You don't feel. You don't love."

She scoffs, disbelief flickering in her eyes. "As if you're one to talk. Want to talk about love? You never cared about your own daughter. You always left me alone. If I'm so hardened today, then it's your own fucking fault, and you know that!"

Tears are burning in her eyes but she refuses to let them out. Richard hasn't seen her crying since she was six years old. And she intends to keep it that way.

He glances up at her face again, reaching for the bottle to refill his glass and making no move to get up from the chair behind his desk.

"My first disappointment was finding out you were a girl. But I was determined to try and love you, for your mother's sake. And then you took her from me. You should be thankful that your grandparents were here in LA to bring you home after your birth. Because if I had to do it myself, I would have just left you in some dumpster."

The words cut her like a sharp knife, and the pain they cause is almost worse than the ones from her blades.

He's not done though.

And things only get worse.

"You know what? There was one time, when you were two years old... I was drunk, just like I am right now, and completely lost in my pain. I took you to the pool below your balcony, not really thinking about any consequences. I was going to drown you. But Mr. Scott heard your cries and came to see what was going on. Lucky for me, he didn't see anything that could prove what I was about to do. But you... You little pest reached out for him. He held you in his arms and it took us almost an hour to make you let go of him."

She's unable to contain the gasp that leaves her lips, her tears almost winning and rolling down her cheeks. But she stays strong. No matter how much her heart is breaking.

"I saw in his eyes, that he had his suspicions, about what I wanted to do that night. But no proof."

So this is why Scott always paid more attention to the two pool areas of the mansion back when she was a child? So that's what it meant, the haunted look that would come to his eyes whenever she innocently asked why he spent so much time checking around the pools?

The macabre revelation makes her feel as if ice has been injected in her veins.

And fear takes her over.

But she still stands her ground, keeping her chin raised high even though she can't find the strength to speak.

"Had I known, I would have never hired that dirty monkey."

Her temper flares, one tear managing to escape as she screams at him. "Don't you dare calling him that!"

Richard laughs and she quickly turns around, not wanting him to see the teardrop rolling down her left cheek.

Wiping it away as discreetly as she could, the blonde takes a deep breath to get her emotions under control.

_"You can cry later. But not now. Not in front of him. Just stay strong, you can do this."_  Repeating the last sentence in her mind over and over again, she slowly turns around to face her father, watching as he gets up from the chair on unsteady feet.

"You want to change things? Then do something about it. The only way you can possibly make me proud, is through a good marriage. Nothing else. You crushed my dreams of having a son 23 years ago. So just marry Woodes and give me a grandson. It's the least you can do, don't you think?"

"You are so fucking selfish." Much to her disappointment, her voice breaks slightly. But he doesn't seem to notice, a scoff leaving his lips as he grabs the half-empty whiskey bottle. "I am selfish?"

His voice raises considerably and she takes a step back, her eyes widening when he throws the bottle against the wall.

It shatters loudly, her heart speeding up as a flash of lightning illuminates the office, letting her see the angry, slightly crazed glint in his eyes.

Father and daughter watch each other in silence while the seconds drag by, thunder sounding from outside, the rain only getting stronger.

The pain caused by Richard's words is almost too much for her to handle, she's about to break...

Thankfully, her father sighs heavily, walking to the door.

He hands her his half-empty glass before leaving her alone in the office.

She stares down at the liquid, waiting for a few minutes. When she's sure he's not coming back, a sob finally leaves her lips, the tears flowing freely.

The blonde throws the glass in the direction of her father's table with a short, pained scream before sinking to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself while shaking violently.

_Will the tears ever stop?_

She feels scared. Alone. Abandoned.

Hiding her face in her hands, Eleanor desperately tries to stop her mind from replaying her father's hurtful words.

Everything hurts, and she really wants to cut... But her blades are all gone.

She raises her eyes, watching the shards from the broken whiskey bottle. Quietly moving closer to the wall, she grabs one of them in her shaky hands, lifting the hem of her skirt and pressing it to her thigh, holding it tightly.

But when it breaks through the soft skin she scowls, pulling it away and throwing it as far as she could.

For some reason, she knows this won't make things any easier.

Looking down at her thigh, she sees some blood coming out of the small cut, but it's nothing to be concerned about.

Her hand, though...

Apparently, she was holding too tight to the glass shard, and now her palm was bleeding.

Cursing under her breath, she wipes it on the fabric of her shirt, grimacing at the pain.

Touching her back to the wall, she allows herself to cry.

Her heart feels so empty, her cruel mind still replaying the stuff Richard had said over and over again.

This hurts like hell.

She just wants to feel safe and loved.

And truth be told, Eleanor knows there's only one person who can give her that right now.

So she pulls out her phone, knowing she can't call him, but hoping her other guardian angel could help.

And luck seems to be on her side.

He'll go to the other hideout.

She hangs up on Max, quickly turning her phone off and getting to her feet.

Maybe he will push her away. She knows it's a very real possibility.

But the blonde hopes he'll see the pain in her eyes and that it will be enough to convince the criminal to let her stay with him for the night.

Whatever happens, she just wants to be away from this mansion right now.

It's so quiet here, she just feels so cold...

_This place no longer feels like home._

But honestly, it never did.

* * *

Sitting down on the chair, Rogers tries to control his temper, his jaw clenching hard when he looks at the handcuffed man at the other side of the table.

All he wants is to punch that stupid smirk out of his face.

But instead, he clears his throat before speaking in an authoritarian, confident tone. "I heard some... disturbing stuff about the night you were arrested, Mr. Low."

"Is that so? Then refresh my memory, please. I think I drank too much that night." The sarcasm in his voice only makes him angrier.

But he needs to maintain his composure.

"It was brought to my attention that you were talking about my fiancée. In a very... Unpleasant manner." He looks down at a paper in his hands, his eyebrows raising slightly. "A bar slut? A spoiled little bitch..."

Ned laughs, a crazed glint in his eyes. "I speak only the truth, friend."

Rogers' fist clenches and he decides to just cut to the chase and ask what he wanted to know. "Well, 'friend'... It reached my ears that Eleanor was involved with a blue eyed criminal a while ago... Was that you?"

The handcuffed man raises an eyebrow, that sickening smirk still firmly in place.

"It would make sense. You still don't accept the end of your relationship with her, and that's why you were saying those disgusting things about my future bride-"

"I'm not the one who's been fucking your fiancée, Mr. Rogers. And let me tell you something. I'm afraid that little bride of yours has been lying to you."

The man in the business suit leans forward, trying not to grimace because of Ned's uncivilized way of speaking.

His interest is piqued though.

"What do you mean?"

"She wasn't involved with a criminal  _'a while ago'_. She still is. I saw them together at a nightclub, the Demeter, the very same night I was arrested."

"Did you see his face?"

The handcuffed savage only shrugs, a playful look in his eyes.

Clenching his jaw, Rogers pulls out his phone, calling the private investigator.

"Find out who's the owner of the Demeter, please. The nightclub. And be quick." He tells the woman on the other side of the line before hanging up and putting the phone back into his pocket, looking at Ned's face when the arrested man speaks again.

"One small reward... And I'll tell you everything I know about that man."

"And what is it that you want?"

"One night with your lovely bride is all I ask for."

Rogers stares at him for a moment, not believing what he had just heard. "You must be insane."

Ned laughs again. "We're all a little insane, deep down, aren't we? I just always felt like Eleanor and I had a score to settle, for some reason."

That's when he notices the strange mark around the handcuffed man's neck. It looks a lot like a scar. As if his head had been cut off...

_What an absurd thought._

"Well, that's your own problem. And I'll only tell you once: Stay far away from my fiancée, Mr. Low. If you lay a finger on Eleanor, I will kill you myself. Law be damned." He gets to his feet, Ned's chuckle making him even angrier.

"I'd like to see you try."

"You and I will talk again soon. I'll get the answers I want from you, one way or another."

Trying to ignore the savage's laughter as he walks out of the room, Rogers sighs deeply.

Truth be told, for one second he actually considered Ned's request. That's how obsessed he is with finding out the identity of that damn criminal.

But the mere thought of another man touching what belongs to him...

Speaking of that, at least now he knows why Eleanor's behavior has changed. She went back to her mysterious criminal.

_Should have known._

As he reaches his Range Rover, he's already making plans.

He needs to tell Richard about this discovery. But this time, they won't repeat the same mistake of letting Eleanor know that they are aware of her little escapades.

Did she even ever break things up with the mysterious man, or had it all been nothing but a scheme to keep him safe? And when she thought the coast was clear, she went right back to his arms. That's why she's acting like this now.

A smirk tugs at Rogers' lips while he drives back home.

"You may be smart, darling. But I always win. I will find this mysterious lover of yours, and he will wish he had never touched what belongs to me. And you, love... You may need a punishment too."

Saying the words aloud only makes him even more satisfied with himself.

And he just hopes this will be enough to let him have a decent night of sleep.

Without the sight of Eleanor's dead body haunting his dreams.

* * *

Ignoring the pouring rain, she runs to the door of the hideout, completely desperate.

A whimper leaves her lips when she finds the door locked, unlike the last time.

This is probably his way of telling her to stay away.

_Fuck it._

Eleanor sinks to the ground, hiding her face in her knees, more tears flowing as the cold rain mercilessly soaked through her clothes, reaching her skin and making her tremble.

She just hopes it won't take too long until he arrives.

Each second feels like an eternity, but when the sound of a motorcycle stopping nearby reaches her ears, she just can't bring herself to look up, suddenly scared of facing him.

_Heavy footsteps... Getting closer and closer..._

"What the fuck?" She finally raises her head, her heart clenching at the hard look on his face.

But his anger falters when Charles notices just how lost and desperate she looks.

The blue eyes she loves so much fill with concern and he opens his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by a loud thunder.

The criminal reaches down to grab one of her arms, pulling her to her feet a bit roughly while searching his pocket for the key to the door.

"Come on. You'll catch your death if you stay out here." He says, pulling her inside before quickly locking the door behind them.

Silence reigns as they make their way to the room upstairs. While Charles takes a quick look around to make sure everything was in order, his heart clenches at the sound of Eleanor's teeth chattering from the cold.

And it only gets worse when he turns around, seeing the pain in her eyes, her tears mixing with the raindrops on her perfect face.

Not breaking eye contact, he walks over to her, bringing his hands to the cold skin of her arms.

The criminal revels in the soft sigh of relief and satisfaction that escapes her lips while he rubs his hands up and down her arms, trying to help her warm up a little.

Her eyes fill with emotion, lower lip trembling softly.

What the fuck happened to her this time? Something tells him this is not just another breakdown caused by guilt and regret.

No... He knows his Queen of Thieves too well.

Someone did this to her.

And whatever it is that happened, that familiar urge to go murder whoever had caused her such pain is already taking him over.

"Are you hurt? Did the governor do something to you?" His voice is filled with anger and Eleanor shakes her head, more tears flowing as she grasps at his necklace. "It wasn't Woodes..." It's just a broken whisper, barely audible.

Realization dawns on him, his hands tightening their grip on her arms.

"Your father."

Her soft sob is the only confirmation he needs.

But his anger is put on hold when he notices how much she's trembling.

"You're freezing. Get out of these wet clothes."

She gives him a look and he raises an eyebrow. "What? It's nothing I haven't seen before."

The blonde rolls her eyes but decides to comply, quietly stripping out of the soaked clothes and wrapping her arms around herself when she's done.

Even though he has seen her naked countless times before, something about this moment makes her feel so vulnerable and exposed...

She loves it and hates it at the same time.

"Go take a hot shower."

She raises an eyebrow, watching as he took her soaked clothes over to the table, spreading them out on its surface.

"What about you? You're wet too."

"Not nearly as much as you." He takes off his leather jacket before pulling his shirt over his head.

And she tries really hard to keep her breath from catching at the sight of his exposed chest and abdomen as he walks to stand in front of her again, offering her his discarded shirt.

"It's dry. You can wear it after getting out of the shower."

She accepts the offered garment, her fingers brushing his.

His skin is warm, as always, and the urge to throw herself into his arms is so damn strong...

Getting a grip on herself, the blonde nods, turning around to walk to the bathroom. She knows he's staring, a blush coming to her cheeks.

"You know where to find the towels." He says and she mumbles a quiet "Yes" before closing the door behind her.

* * *

Not sure how much time has passed since she finished her shower, Eleanor finally raises from the closed toilet seat, trying to gather the courage to leave the bathroom.

Her hair is mostly dry now, Charles' shirt helping her feel better.

She still can't believe she came here. And part of her already regrets it deeply.

Though she can't ignore how safe she feels now.

It feels so much better to be here, instead of back at the mansion.

Quietly making her way out of the bathroom, her heart skips a beat when she sees the criminal sitting on the bed in nothing but his underwear, silently drinking from the rum bottle he had brought with him.

His eyes darken when he looks over at her and she quickly turns her head, making her way to the window.

"Is it still bad? The storm." Eleanor asks, trying to postpone what she knew was about to come. He would want to know what had caused her to seek him out.

"It think it will be raging until dawn comes."

She can feel his eyes on her as the seconds drag by. Until he finally sighs, and the blonde turns around to meet his gaze.

"Come here."

Her heart beats wildly while she obeys, slowly walking over to the bed. Eleanor stares down at him for a moment, her eyes falling closed when he reaches out to caress her thigh.

But instead of the usual goosebumps she always gets from his touch, there's pain.

And only then she remembers the cut from the glass shard. Opening her eyes, she finds the criminal inspecting it with an unreadable expression on his handsome face. "This looks different from the ones made with the blades."

"I used a glass shard. You took all of my blades with you."

A smirk tugs at one corner of his lips for a second, almost imperceptibly, before he takes her right hand in his, turning it around to stare at the wound on her palm.

She watches in silence while he brushes his thumb over it softly, checking how deep it was. It wasn't so bad, thankfully.

But it still hurt like hell.

Without warning, Charles pulls her down into the mattress, careful not to let her land on her injured thigh. "Tell me everything. Don't hide any details, or I swear I will go to that mansion right now and murder that worthless piece of shit you call your father."

She scowls at him before sighing heavily, staring down at his chest. "He was drunk. Staring at a picture of my mom. He... told me some heavy stuff..."

She reaches for the rum bottle in his hands and he watches while she takes a few gulps, tears glinting in her eyes.

Grimacing as the alcohol burns her throat, Eleanor hands the bottle back to him. He sets it on the floor to give her his full attention.

She hesitates for a moment before moving closer, letting him pull the blankets over their bodies to protect them from the cold brought by the storm.

Her fingers wrap around the anchor pendant, her other hand going behind his neck and grasping at his long hair.

He stiffens for a second before deciding to just allow her this comfort, caressing her back through the shirt. "Go on."

The blonde takes a deep, shaky breath. "He said that... It was a disappointment when he found out I was a girl. But he was determined to try and love me, because of my mom. But when she died..."

"He blamed you."

She nods, avoiding his eyes. "He said I should be thankful that my grandparents were here to take me home from the hospital after I was born. Because he would have just left me in some dumpster."

Her voice breaks a little and Charles holds her closer, his jaw clenching in anger. "What else?"

"He told me something that happened when I was only two years old... He drank too much one night, and..."

"What did he do, Eleanor?"

"He wanted to drown me... Mr. Scott heard me crying and came to my rescue, but... If it wasn't for him..." A choked sob leaves her lips and Charles pulls her flush against his body, one hand cradling the back of her head protectively while she hid her face in the crook of his neck, tears flowing freely again.

A wave of gratitude for Scott washes over him, taking the criminal by surprise.

The woman he loves is alive today only thanks to that man.

"It's okay. You're safe." He says close to her ear, feeling her shiver.

"He said I have to give him a grandson, that it's the least I can do-"

"Don't believe that for a second. It wasn't your fault that you were born a woman."

"I know... But I just-"

"No. You don't have to do anything, Eleanor. You don't have to marry that idiot and have his baby just to make your father happy. You didn't do anything wrong, do you understand? At least not this time."

The criminal is unable to keep the bitterness out of his tone when he says the last five words and she tries masking her pain by chuckling, but it just ends up sounding dry and hollow.

"There's a first time for everything, right?"

Her voice sounds so sad and guilty.

As much as it hurts to see her like this, he's also glad to see this display of regret.

And suddenly the criminal realizes something.

_She came to him._

She's in pain and she came to him for comfort.

He's the one person she chose to have by her side during this difficult time. The one she trusted to make her feel better and safe.

Not her mother. Not Scott. Not Max...

Not the stupid governor.

_Him._

And that means a lot.

But it has no value, at least not until she makes her decision.

Charles will only really acknowledge these changes and advances of hers when she chooses him.

_If._  If she chooses him.

He can't dare to think that there's a high chance she'll go with them when they leave.

Hope is a bitch. And he promised himself, all those years ago, never to hope. It only brings pain.

Especially when it comes to Eleanor. He refuses to repeat the mistakes of the past.

She's making things really hard for him though.

Small cracks are appearing on his walls with each hesitant caress of her fingers, each tear that falls from her eyes, each shuddering breath she takes.

And while the criminal really thinks he should be working on fixing the cracks, he doesn't really want to.

Even if he did... He's not sure if he can find the strength to do it.

_Unbelievable._  Even after everything this woman did, here he is, offering her comfort and letting her cry in his arms, unable to push her away, unable to just turn his back on her and let her deal with her pain on her own, like he should have done when he found her soaked and crying on the sidewalk.

If sirens are real, she's definitely one of them.

Definitely. There's no other explanation.

"Back then..." Her voice cuts the silence and he looks down at her.

She refuses to meet his eyes. Her grip on the anchor pendant is so strong that her knuckles are turning white. Whatever she's about to say, he can see it's being really hard on her.

Is she going to tell him the rest of the stuff she was saying back at the ranch?

Admitting all those feelings...

"...after... you know..."

"...my death?"

Her breath hitches and she moves closer, another tear escaping at the unwelcome memory of the hanging. "Yeah. After... that, I... kept pretending to be something I wasn't."

He scoffs. "Jack and Max already told me about that. How you became nothing but a distorted version of the true Eleanor."

"Let me speak. Please. This is hard enough already without your hostility." She finally meets his eyes, a pleading and pained look on her face.

He stares at her for a moment before nodding, wanting to hear what she had to say. "Go on."

She takes a deep breath, dropping her eyes back to the anchor pendant in her hand. "Sometimes, in the middle of the night. After... he was sleeping..." The criminal is unable to stop his low growl, his arms tightening around Eleanor as she continues to speak. "...I thought about you. About how I could be living... had I made different choices. It helped me feel better, but..."

She shakes her head, a frustrated noise escaping her lips. "Fuck, it wasn't so hard to say all these things to Max."

Charles reaches to lift her chin, their eyes locking again. "Breathe. Just breathe. We have the whole night."

She nods, tears filling her eyes as her hand on the back of his neck moved to his jawline, her fingers tracing it softly.

"I missed doing this." She admits quietly, not breaking eye contact.

The criminal touches her other hand, the one still holding tightly to his necklace. Caressing each of her fingers over and over again, he patiently waits until she's ready to keep talking.

The storm only gets worse outside, thunder sounding from above as they lay in bed, staring at each other, both reveling in that deep and primitive bond between them.

Eleanor is so relieved that it still exists.

Somehow, not even three hundred years and all the betrayals were able to erase it.

Even back when they didn't remember their past lives, it was still there, scaring them both to death.

"You... haunted me. I saw your face in my dreams. It drove me crazy. I hated you so fucking much for it. You wouldn't leave me alone, not even after your death. I prayed for your face to vanish from my dreams, it just hurt too much... But it never happened. And Charles..." Her voice breaks, a few seconds passing before she continues, averting her eyes so he wouldn't see her tears. "... I knew, alright? I knew that if my wings were taken away from me, it was my own fucking fault. Had I chosen you... this would have never happened. You... would have only helped me fly always higher and higher."

His thumb wipes away one of her tears and the blonde almost flinches away.

But then she realizes, surprising herself, that she doesn't really want to.

"I tried so damn hard to ignore it, but I knew... I needed you. I always did, and you were gone. As I sat there, knitting quietly like some dumb, docile housewife... I knew that. And it killed me. Every day, every week... The truth is, you haunted me until the moment of my death, and I..." She trails off, meeting his gaze. A few moments pass and he watches as she gathers the courage to speak. "...I regretted everything."

He averts his eyes, staring up at the ceiling with a frown.

Eleanor instantly feels worse when he moves away from her, laying down on his back without saying a word. She watches him, letting go of the necklace and trying to ignore how tense she feels.

"Please say something..." It's nothing but a whisper, and she's so desperate...

But the criminal has no idea what to say. As pleased as he is with her revelations, he's not really sure how to react.

Because he wasn't expecting that from her. She's definitely different now.

And he doesn't really know how to deal with this new part of Eleanor. This part she had never allowed him to see before.

So he settles for teasing her, wanting to break the heavy atmosphere between them. "Knitting? Really?"

She groans, hiding her face in a pillow.

"I just can't picture you as a quiet and docile housewife."

Sitting up in bed, she frowns, looking down at the sheets.

"I don't ever want to do anything like that again." She says quietly.

In this moment she looks so vulnerable.

Sitting up too, Charles wraps an arm around her chest, pulling her to him

"You won't have to. As long as you don't betray me again, of course."

She nods, leaning back against him and closing her eyes as he drops a kiss to her shoulder.

"Speaking of that..." He says and she opens her eyes, giving him her full attention. "...When do you plan to stab me in the back? It's taking a while this time."

The blonde scowls, pulling away from his body and sitting on her knees, facing him.

"You know I won't-"

"No, Eleanor. I don't. I don't know. For all I know, you could be planning a move against me in your head right now."

She scoffs, getting to her feet and walking over to the window, shaking her head.

"When are you going to let this go?"

She sounds so hopeless. It breaks his traitorous heart.

"Come back here. You're shivering."

She scoffs, not really wanting to follow his orders. But apparently, the cold and exhaustion win, and Eleanor quietly makes her way back to the bed.

He holds her close, her heart speeding up when his strong hands move under the shirt, caressing her back and her sides.

His thumb occasionally brushes the side of her breast, and she's sure it's just a matter of time before he tries taking things to the next level.

But to her utter surprise, several minutes pass and the criminal shows no signs of wanting to do anything other than holding her in his arms.

"Seriously?" She looks up at him with a confused frown, meeting his eyes. "You're not even gonna try to fuck me?"

He raises an eyebrow at her words, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Do you want me to?"

_Always._

She narrows her eyes at him, refusing to answer. He sighs, shaking his head and holding her closer. "That's not what you need right now."

"And what is it that I need?"

"In this moment, or in your life in general?"

His question is met with silence and he chuckles briefly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "By the way... You're staying with me until Sunday. No discussion."

A frown comes to her face. "What the hell?"

"Do you really want to go back to that mansion anytime soon? To see your father?"

She stays silent again and Charles shakes his head, caressing her hair. "You, coming to me for comfort after Richard hurts you. Just like you used to do three hundred years ago. Some things never change."

The blonde thinks of a few smart retorts. But she doesn't really want to fight. So she simply nods, snuggling into his warmth and closing her eyes with a satisfied sigh.

Loud thunder comes from outside and he holds her closer as she jumps slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "It's okay. Just go to sleep, Princess. You need some decent rest. Without the nightmares. And tonight you have your dream catcher. So just stop being stupid and enjoy this opportunity."

She smiles softly. This is his own twisted way of saying  _"Go to sleep, I'll chase away your nightmares."_

And she loves him so fucking much for it.

Sleep begins to overcome her almost as soon as she closes her eyes.

But there's just one more thing she wants to say to her pirate.

"Charles?" Her voice is quiet and she doesn't open her eyes, listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for finding me."

It looks like he won't answer but she doesn't care. She wasn't expecting him to, anyway.

But just as Eleanor slips into unconsciousness, she feels her Captain press a kiss to her forehead, his arms tightening around her protectively. A single word reaches her ears. But it's already enough to make her fall asleep with a smile on her face.

"Always."


	41. Drawings and Ships

Morning light filters in through the crack in the curtains and Eleanor opens her eyes slowly, an unguarded smile coming to her face when she sees the piercing blue eyes watching her closely.

She missed waking up like this, so much.

"Morning... what time is it?"

Her sleepy voice is like a cannon shot to Charles' walls.

"Just after 10."

She shivers at the sound of his voice, deeper than usual, still rough from sleep, and he notices the way her eyes darken.

Maybe he should put some space between them, maybe he should at least try to resist her.

But these thoughts fly out the window as she leans in, hesitantly closing the small distance between them.

The criminal tightens his grip on her waist, thumbs caressing her soft skin while he instantly responds to her kiss.

Tears burn behind her eyelids. Being able to kiss her pirate again... it feels like coming home.

The words Madi said to her a couple of years ago, after a particularly bad self-harm crisis, echo through her mind.

_"Home is not always a place. Sometimes, it can be a person."_

Back then, the words made no sense to her at all, but now...

Now, she understands them perfectly.

Charles is her home. As much as she tries to fight this, deep down she knows it's the truth.

A soft smile plays on her lips when he pulls away to watch her face and her glinting eyes.

"Been wanting to do that since last night." The blonde confesses, touching his face for a moment before moving her hand to the anchor pendant, tugging slightly. The criminal gets the message, kissing her again.

This time, it's not soft and calm.

He wastes no time, covering her body with his and moving his hands under the shirt as she sighs into the kiss.

His hands are slow, teasing, leaving goosebumps in their wake while Eleanor grasps at his hair, urging him, silently begging for more.

But unfortunately for them, just as the criminal's hand squeezes her left breast, a phone rings.

Cursing under his breath, Charles lets go of her, reaching for his phone. It was resting on the floor right beside the forgotten rum bottle, and he rolls his eyes before answering the call.

"The fuck do you want, Mary?"

To Eleanor's utter surprise and amazement, he holds out his arm, silently inviting her back into his embrace.

And the blonde is quick to accept the invitation, shivering as she laid her head on his chest with a happy sigh, his free hand caressing her shoulder.

She can hear Mary's exasperated voice on the other side of the line when the woman replies.

_"Your sister's worried about you! You said you'd be back before she woke up!"_

He forgot about his little sister because of his concern for her...

Her eyes fall closed as the hand in her shoulder moves to her chest, his sure fingers caressing her breast through the fabric of the shirt.

"Something... unexpected came up."

There's silence for a moment before Mary chuckles.  _"Tell Eleanor I said hi."_

His voice is filled with warning when he speaks again. "Is Anne around?"

_"No. She's out in the city with Jack and Max."_

"Tell Davina I'll be there soon."

He hangs up with a sigh, letting the phone drop to the mattress and rubbing his forehead.

"I gotta go assure my sister that I'm okay. She's really traumatized, with the whole abandonment issues. All because of our stupid father."

Eleanor nods, looking up at his face. "I understand."

He gets to his feet and a wicked smirk comes to the blonde's face while she pulls his shirt over her head, handing it to him innocently. He stares at her now naked body and she shrugs. "What? You need your shirt, don't you?"

Accepting the offered garment, he sighs heavily, trying to control himself.

As the criminal heads over to the table, he mutters what sounds like "definitely a siren" before checking her clothes. They're dry now, and Charles throws them to her.

"They're dry. Have some mercy on me and get dressed. Do you want to wait here? Or to go with me? You could see Davina. Anne's out in the city with Jack and Max. You'll be safe."

She nods. "That sounds good. I can text Max and ask her to warn me when Anne decides to go back to the hideout. And I kind of miss Davina. She's... a really special child."

"She is. She really is."

Eleanor doesn't fail to recognize the hint of affection in his voice, her heart fluttering. It's still so strange to see this man acting like this towards a child. But at the same time, it's so damn endearing and amazing...

Maybe he actually can be a pretty good father someday.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she gets to her feet and dresses in silence, completely aware of his eyes on her as he did the same thing a few feet away.

A smile tugs at her lips. Looks like she already has the pirate wrapped around her finger again.

And maybe for the first time ever, there are no ulterior motives. She's simply happy that he still wants something to do with her, even after everything that happened.

For the first time ever, Eleanor is just happy to have him by her side.

And her happiness only grows once they make their way out of the hideout and he hands her the extra helmet.

This is another thing she missed terribly.

Riding on the motorcycle with him.

So she enjoys every minute of it, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she revels in the adrenaline. Just like the first time they did this, happy laughter escapes her lips, drifting off into the wind as Charles smirks to himself, both of them too happy to think about anything else other than this moment.

* * *

The moment he steps inside the main space of the hideout, Davina comes running from his room, throwing herself at him. "Charlie!"

He clenches his jaw, still not used to the nickname. "Hey kid. Mary said you were worried."

"I thought you left, like our papa did."

She hasn't noticed Eleanor's presence yet, but the blonde's heart breaks for this traumatized little girl.

The criminal sighs, shaking his head. "I'm not like that man, Davy. Don't worry about that."

"Where did you go?"

"He was with me. Sorry, Davina. I wasn't feeling well, and your brother helped me."

The child finally looks over at Eleanor, her eyes widening as a bright smile comes to her face.

"Eleanor, I missed you!" The little girl hugs her waist, taking her by surprise and she hesitantly caresses her soft hair, looking up at Charles' face.

His smile is barely visible.

But it's there, and he can't get enough of this sight. The woman he loves with his little sister.

The only two people he truly loves in this world.

But the moment is soon broken, as Mary emerges from his room.

And this makes Eleanor's heart sink a little.

"About damn time. I take it you two are back in good terms?"

Neither of them answers, and Davina suddenly runs to her brother's room, coming back a moment later with a paper in her hands. "Look, Eleanor! I drew Charlie's ship. So he won't be sad because of the Ranger anymore!"

A fresh wave of guilt overcomes her and she frowns in confusion, looking up at the criminal's face with a question clear in her eyes.

_"How much did you tell her?"_

He simply shrugs, watching as the blonde took the drawing from his sister's hands.

"This looks pretty good, Davina. What did uh... Charlie tell you about his ship?" She tries hard not to laugh when she says the nickname, ignoring the warning filled look she was receiving from the pirate.

"He just said it was made of wood, and that he lost it, a long time ago, because of a mis... misunde-"

She struggles adorably with the difficult word and her older brother comes to her rescue. "A misunderstanding, kid."

Eleanor's guilt filled eyes meet his again, and the blonde frowns. Is this his way of saying he forgives her for giving away his ship?

"I wish you still had her, Charlie. How come you don't even have pictures?"

"Let's just say that... I had no way to photograph her."

The child sighs heavily. "I wanted to know what she looked like."

An idea forms in Eleanor's and she smiles at Davina. "Maybe I can help you with that. Do you have drawing supplies? I can show you what the ship looked like."

The girl's eyes light up. "You saw her?"

"I did. Even from the inside. And I still remember everything about her."

Davina squeals in excitement, running to her brother's room to get her drawing supplies, Mary following her with a smirk.

"You don't have to do this." Charles watches her closely. This would be just another cannon shot to his walls, and he knows it. The blonde sighs, her sad eyes making his heart clench.

"I want to. I really do. Keep your phone near us, Max said she will call you in case Anne decides to come back here."

He nods, watching as his sister came back from his room.

Moving to the window, the criminal lights a cigarette, trying to ignore Eleanor's voice as she drew, telling his sister stuff about his long lost ship.

Sometimes he glances at them over his shoulder, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of them together at the table. The blonde was also teaching Davina some stuff about drawing, and the scene looked so domestic.

She could make a pretty good mother.

After what feels like an eternity, his little sister's gasp of amazement brings him out of his thoughts.

"Charlie, come see! It looks so real!"

He's not sure if he wants to.

But of course the child rolls her eyes in annoyance, getting to her feet and running over to him.

Her little hands tug on the brown leather jacket, dragging him towards the table.

Eleanor refuses to look up at him and his chest tightens when his eyes settle on her drawing.

After spending so long with nothing but the memory of what his ship looked like, he never expected to see a real image of it again.

He had forgotten how good she was at drawing.

It looked perfect, every tiny detail... It was the Ranger, on the bay, a couple other ships in the distance, looking smaller. One of them looked a lot like Flint's.

When she finally looks up at him, her eyes are glinting with tears, such a nostalgic look on her face, letting him know just how much she misses their home.

The criminal clears his throat, nodding down at the drawing. "It looks... perfect. Davy, this is what she looked like. Exactly like this."

"What do you say to Eleanor, sweetie?" Mary asks, emerging from Charles' room with her bag.

"Thank you!"

The blonde lets out a brief laugh. This little girl is quickly winning a spot in her heart. "You're welcome, Davina."

Mary walks to the door. "Can I take a car, Charles? Your sister wants spaghetti tonight, but there's nothing left in the fridge. We'll need to go shopping for groceries."

He nods, throwing her the keys of one of the cars.

She looks down at her adoptive daughter.

"Come on, baby girl. Grab your jacket. I think your brother wants some alone time with Eleanor."

"Why?"

Mary sighs, exasperated. "Just come, Davina!"

The girl huffs adorably, grabbing her little black leather jacket and walking out the front door.

"Stay alert at all times. If you happen to stumble upon Rogers, call me immediately." Charles says and the woman rolls her eyes.

"We'll be fine. I can keep her safe." She looks between her ex-lover and the blonde woman, a smirk playing on her lips. "I'll take Davina out for ice cream too. So we won't be back for a while... Have fun."

She winks at them before closing the door behind her.

They listen in silence as one of the cars speed out of the garage downstairs. While they watch each other quietly the tension is palpable, for some reason.

Finally, Eleanor sighs, slowly pushing the paper towards him. He takes it in his hands, getting a closer look, his eyes drinking in every detail.

"I forgot how good you were at this."

"I want you to keep it. Guess it's the least I can do, right?"

She tries to smile. But her eyes are filled with sadness.

"You told Davina it was a misunderstanding..."

He nods, still staring at the drawing. "Because that's what it was."

"So... Is this you telling me that you forgive me? About the Ranger, I mean."

He finally glances at her again, an almost imperceptible smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't push your luck."

She smiles brightly, but it soon fades away. "Is Mary sleeping in your room?"

He notices the jealousy in her voice, trying hard to keep himself from smirking.

"Yes. She is."

"So you've been sleeping beside her all this time?"

"Technically... I sleep beside Davina. She likes to sleep between me and Mary."

Eleanor frowns, trying not to think about how this made them look like a couple and their child. "Really? You're fitting three people in a double bed?"

"Two and a half." He corrects, an amused glint in his eyes. "And why are you so surprised? You and I know certain people who manage to fit three grown adults in a double bed-"

She groans, averting her eyes. "Ugh. Please stop talking."

He chuckles briefly and she looks up at his face again, unable to contain her smile.

And it only grows brighter as she gets to her feet, that familiar wicked look flickering in the blue-green depths Charles loves so much. He raises an eyebrow in silent challenge while she bites her lower lip for a second.

"I have a confession." The blonde finally says, taking a step closer.

"Do you?"

She nods, glancing at his lips. "You, uh... changed a few stuff about your appearance after the memories came back, I noticed. And now you look more like you did three centuries ago."

He watches in silence as she comes closer, clearly nervous but not wanting to back down.

She's testing the waters, not sure how he may react to her advances, not sure how exactly things are between them right now. He could reassure her by taking a step or two forward as well, but he loves to see her like this.

"Now you wear your hair the same way you did back then. You hardly ever wear the black leather jacket anymore. It was replaced by this brown one that looks like the coat you used to own. And... you let your beard grow. Now it's just the same length it was in your past life, after... my betrayal."

There. This is what she had been wanting to say.

"And? What is your confession?"

She takes a deep breath. "I didn't admit it even to myself until recently, but... It did something to me, back then... When I saw you again after that time apart, when I saw the beard... You looked so much more dangerous, so much darker..."

She finally stops right in front of him, butterflies filling her stomach. His intense gaze alone is enough to send shivers down her spine, goosebumps raising on the skin of her arms.

"I confess that... deep down, a part of me really wanted to be able to kiss you back then. All because of that fucking beard. And now here it is again."

He's unable to contain his smirk. "Is that so?"

She nods, swallowing nervously while bringing one hand to the anchor pendant. And any other words she might have said die on her throat as the criminal pulls her to him, crashing his lips against hers.

Letting go of the pendant, the blonde brings her hands to his hair when he lifts her, setting her on the table.

Her heart beats wildly as he steps between her thighs, beginning to nip at her neck.

She revels in the feeling of his rough beard on her soft skin, holding tightly to his hair to keep him from pulling away.

It drives her crazy. She longed for this so much three centuries ago, and now she can finally have it...

And the reality feels so much better than all the times she imagined this. All the dreams... Including that one time when she ended up calling out the pirate's name in her sleep and waking Woodes up.

But now she won't be harshly snatched away from this wonderful piece of paradise.

_This is real._

Her face is flushed and her whole body feels hot as he lifts her from the table, carrying her to his room, her legs around his hips.

Briefly, she notices how different his bedroom looks now. Everywhere, there's signs of the woman and child who now share this space with him.

The last time she was here, it seemed a lot emptier...

The last time she was here was when they recovered their memories.

_"Get the fuck out! Or I swear I'm gonna kill you."_

_"I don't ever wanna see your face again."_

Tears burn behind her eyelids while she remembers all the hurtful words he had said back then.

Such a contrast to the way he's treating her now. Laying her down on his bed and kissing her with that highly addicting passion she only finds in him.

And suddenly, she realizes just how lucky she is.

Two months ago, this seemed impossible. Eleanor was completely sure she would never feel his touch again.

And now...

Now she has a second chance.

What the fuck is she waiting for? She wants to stay with him, why the hell can't she just bring herself to tell him this once and for all?

Why can't she bring herself to make this decision?

Charles is the one who makes her feel safe, happy and loved. Not her father. Not Woodes.

So why can't she just choose him already?

Tears glint in her eyes and he notices, stopping for a moment and staring at her in concern.

But she just shakes her head, kissing him again, successfully distracting her pirate. They don't even remember to close the door of the room.

And this time it's unlike anything they ever experienced.

It's like a big mix: there are so many feelings crashing together. The anger of their first time after the memories were recovered. The happiness of being together again. The remorse, the intense regret and guilt, the sadness...

Eleanor tries to be as unguarded as she possibly can, not holding back, letting his name tumble from her lips anytime she wants. She doesn't avoid his eyes for a second, letting him stare right into her soul as they moved together as one. Letting him see everything, everything she couldn't put into words yet.

For the first time ever, she doesn't even try hiding from him.

She simply surrenders to her Captain, body and soul.

And it feels so much better than she thought it would.

Why the hell didn't she try this sooner?

Without the tension of having to hold back and hide, she's so relaxed... As a result, the pleasure is so much more intense.

She comes undone twice, clinging to him and calling out his name loudly, not caring if people in the street could hear.

And as her pleasure builds again, she can tell he's close too.

His powerful thrusts and loud groan of pleasure do her in, letting her fall over the edge for a third time, sharp nails digging into the skin of his back while he rides out his high too.

Pressing a lazy kiss to her lips, the criminal rolls them on the bed, laying on his back and pulling her close to his body.

"Fuck, how could I give this up?" She asks, breathless, causing a smug smirk to appear on his lips as he looks at her.

"What was I thinking?" She meets his gaze, a frown on her flushed face.

One of his hands reach to take hers, caressing each one of her fingers slowly.

"You weren't thinking."

She nods, a stubborn smile refusing to leave her lips as she watches his face, her eyes drinking in every tiny detail.

_He's alive._

Sometimes she still can't believe it.

Their breathing slowly returns to normal and Eleanor dozes off for a few minutes. He watches her face, unable to look away. She has him completely entranced...

But this peaceful, beautiful moment is broken when the front door opens suddenly.

And only then Charles realizes they didn't close the door to his room.

The blonde wakes up with a start, looking at his face with wide eyes. Her fear is the same as his.

What if it's Anne who just arrived?

The criminal holds her closer, protectively, already reaching for the knife on his bedside table, adrenaline flowing through his veins and preparing him for a possible fight.

But then...

"Charlie? You in here?"

He immediately lets go of the knife, letting it drop back to the piece of furniture while Eleanor sighs in relief.

But their calm is short lived and they quickly reach for the blankets, covering their naked bodies just as Davina appears at the door of the room, a happy smile on her face.

"Found you! Mama said we'll-" She stops, frowning in confusion just as Mary walks up to her side. The woman stares at the couple in horror, her mouth hanging open.

Eleanor's cheeks go red and the criminal glares at his ex-lover, finally snapping her into action.

With a wicked smirk, she puts her hands on the child's shoulder to guide her away. "Jesus, you could at least have closed the damn door."

Charles growls in warning as the dark haired woman laughs. "Come on, sweetie. Help me put the food in the fridge."

Mary closes the door and Eleanor hides her face on the criminal's chest in adorable embarrassment.

He chuckles, caressing her naked back. "Could have been worse. They could have arrived half an hour earlier, when you were screaming my name."

She hits his arm. "Idiot. You're not funny."

They hear Davina's muffled voice as she speaks in the main space of the hideout.

"Why are they in bed, it's the afternoon!"

"Eleanor was tired because she fought with her father, remember? She's just resting."

"But what about Charlie?"

"I'm sure he was just, uh... Helping her rest."

Neither of them can repress their brief laughter, the pirate shaking his head.

"That's the best she could come up with?"

* * *

After being warned by Max that Anne and Jack were on their way back, the couple left, heading back to the other hideout.

To be safe, Charles decided to take Eleanor's drawing with them. He didn't want Anne to see it. There was the risk she would recognize the style, or worse, Davina could tell her who had made it.

So now here he was, silently watching as the blonde touched the paper on the table. Her fingertips trace the sails and the hull almost lovingly, a nostalgic look on her face.

This is unbelievable.

"Would you believe me if I said I miss her too?"

Definitely unbelievable.

He walks to stand beside her, staring down at the drawing too.

"She was beautiful." Eleanor speaks again, and he has the feeling she's been wanting to admit this for an eternity.

"She was."

Hours later, the atmosphere between them is still just as calm and peaceful.

Tranquil, harmonious silence reigns, their bodies pressed close together, both naked and spent.

Neither failed to notice they're laying in bed in almost the exact same position as that night in the fort. But this time, their fingers are intertwined on the criminal's chest, his thumb caressing her index finger absentmindedly while his other hand rests on her waist.

After what feels like hours of this comfortable arrangement, the blonde looks up at him just like she had done three centuries ago, déjà vu washing over them both.

But this time, Charles is the one who asks the question.

"What is it?"

He sees her hesitate for a moment before she finally makes a decision. "There's something I need to tell you."

There's fear in her eyes, and she's not trying to hide it. He frowns, watching her closely. "Eleanor, what happened?"

"I have strong reasons to believe that... there's someone else who's about to remember everything too."

His blood runs cold. He already has a pretty good guess.

"Who?"

Her eyes glint and she takes a deep breath. "Him..."

"The governor."

She nods bringing her free hand to her waist and locking their fingers together.

Now, with the fingers of both their hands intertwined, they feel so much closer to each other.

"He says he's been having strange dreams. But I know it's his memories coming back. He says he sees my dead body."

His arms tighten around her. "How did you die? I heard stuff about it, but... It want to hear it from your mouth."

She stiffens for a second before relaxing again, shaking her head. "As soon as I'm ready. I promise. I know my word is not worth much to you, but-"

"As soon as you're ready." He interrupts her and she smiles softly.

Of course he'd understand.

He always does.

"About that idiot starting to remember... How do you feel about that? And you better be completely honest with me."

She frowns. How does she feel about it?

He waits patiently until she finally speaks.

"I'm scared. I'm scared to death."

He drops a kiss to her forehead, holding her impossibly closer.

She soon falls asleep, the fingers of both their hands still locked together.

Charles is conflicted, to say the least.

He looks down at her face, she looks so peaceful and innocent in her sleep...

So fragile.

What the fuck is he going to do now?

She's still showing no signs of making a decision. What if he has to leave her behind?

Just one more week, and she hasn't even touched the subject.

He knows her. If she didn't say anything yet, she probably won't anymore.

So is this it?

He only has one more week to enjoy her? Then he will need to leave her here, unprotected, while the governor is about to remember everything... What will happen to her?

That familiar urge to keep her safe is taking him over.

Charles knows now, that there are only two possible outcomes to this situation.

He will either take her with them by force when they leave, or... He will stay here to protect her. And in case he chooses this second option, the criminal knows that eventually he and the governor will come face to face. It will be inevitable.

He wants this. He wants this fight.

And this time... this time things will be very, very different.

Charles longs to have his blood on his hands. To stare right into his eyes as he takes his life.

The sinister thoughts bring a dark smirk to his face.

Eleanor stirs slightly in his arms, her fingers squeezing his for a second before she relaxes again, exhaling softly. It looked almost as if she was checking if he was still here with her, afraid he would leave, even in her sleep.

The hard expression on his face softens while he looks at her.

She's in his bed now, in his arms. Not in Rogers'.

She's safe.

_She's safe and she's herself._

And no matter what happens, no matter what she decides, he will make sure things stay that way.

Even if she hates him for it.

Because both of them have already seen what happens when they are away from each other.

It had disastrous consequences the last time, for him and eventually, for her too.

He won't let that happen, ever again.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, the criminal lets his thumb caress the skin of her waist lovingly. "I will never leave you again. I will keep you safe, no matter what. Even if you hate me for it. This is our second chance, and we won't ruin it."

He doesn't mind keeping his voice quiet, but she shows no sign of waking up. Charles sighs, closing his eyes. Her calm breathing soon lulls him to sleep.

And he dreams about chopping off a certain someone's head.

He also really hopes the dreams will come to reality, sooner or later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter filled with Ranger feels!
> 
> Because I loved that ship. I really wish we could have seen more of her on the show :(


	42. Your Guardian Angel

"You are kidding me." Jack says with a shake of his head and his leader sighs, smoking in silence. "Please tell me this is a joke."

Anne scoffs. "I knew this would happen."

The tension in the main space of the hideout is palpable while Mary quietly closes the door of Charles' room, turning around to face the three other people.

A frown comes to her face when she notices how heavy the atmosphere is. "I just put Davina to bed. What's going on? Are you guys planning our journey?"

"There will be no journey." Anne says bitterly and Charles looks at them over his shoulder, a hard look on his face.

"I never said that. I said I'll be staying. But you're all free to do whatever the fuck you want." He grabs his leather jacket and helmet, storming out the front door.

Mary frowns in confusion. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

The redhead clenches her jaw. "He's worried because Rogers is starting to rem-"

"...get violent." Jack interrupts her words, giving her a look. "And Charles is worried about Eleanor's safety. So he just told us that he'll be staying here in LA for a while longer."

Mary shakes her head. "Did he forget that now he has a little sister to consider?"

Jack laughs bitterly. "When it comes to Eleanor... It's like nothing else matters to him."

Clenching her jaw, Mary pulls out her phone, heading to the door. "That's it. I've had enough of this bullshit."

After the woman leaves them alone, Jack looks over at his partner. "You know we can't just leave him behind."

The redhead sighs heavily, knowing he was right.

"By now I'm pretty sure; you and Charles are my karma."

She narrows her eyes at him, rising from her chair. "Fuck you, Jack."

* * *

Quietly getting ready for bed, Eleanor inspects the healing cut on her palm. It still hurts, but at least it's not reopening.

Grabbing the bottle of sleeping pills, she sighs heavily. Next week Charles and the others will leave. And she still has no idea what to do.

Noise comes from her balcony but she pays it no mind.

By now, she's used to the tricks her mind plays on her. Ever since Charles stopped coming to her room, she hears noises like the doorknob turning almost every night. At first she always looked at the glass door, hoping to see the criminal. But after a lot of disappointments, she learned to ignore the tricks of her traitorous mind.

This time, however, there's something different.

Like the heavy footsteps making their way over to her.

Like the strong hand that snatches the bottle of sleeping pills from her grasp.

Slowly turning around, she can't keep herself from smiling at the criminal.

"I'll throw the rest of these pills away. And that's final."

Eleanor raises an eyebrow at him but he's already making his way to the bathroom. Surprisingly, she just can't bring herself to be angry while she hears him throwing the sleeping pills into the toilet and flushing them away.

"Let me see your hand." He demands, walking over to her again and she obeys, trying not to shiver while he inspects the healing cut.

"You'll be fine." The criminal says, letting go of her hand and brushing her hair behind her ear, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Did something happen to your voice?"

She shakes her head, finally speaking. "I was just surprised... Charles, what are you doing here?"

He sighs heavily, glancing at the door of her room. "I want to make sure the governor won't try anything. If he remembers and comes to your room, I'll be here."

She's even more surprised now, her heart fluttering when she sees the sincerity in his eyes.

_Her guardian angel._

Some things definitely never change.

Hesitantly, the blonde brings her hands to his shoulders, paying close attention to his face. When he shows no signs of hostility, she finally locks her hands behind his neck. "Thanks. I admit that... It makes me a little anxious, the thought that he can remember at any minute and come after me... I feel better now that you're here."

He chuckles briefly, his hands moving to her hips as he pulled her closer, making her heart skip a beat. "Was that so hard to admit?"

His tone is low. It sends a shiver down her spine, the challenge clear in his eyes.

And she's more than happy to accept it, closing the distance between them and humming softly in satisfaction as he responded by pulling her flush against his body.

Eleanor still can't believe this is actually happening. They're working things out. It may be taking them a long time, but they're doing it, step by step, one day at a time.

It feels good.

He seems awfully pleased with himself though, and she only realizes why when the criminal begins to nip at her neck, smirking against her skin.

"You're wearing my shirt."

_Busted._

Pushing him away with a groan of annoyance, the blonde sits on the edge of her bed, staring up at him with a scowl. "So what?"

"You've been wearing it since our fight, haven't you?"

She lays down, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Which one? I think you'll have to be more specific."

It feels so good to banter with him like this again.

He sits down on the mattress, smirk still firmly in place. "You know what I mean."

Sighing, she reaches to feel the texture of his brown leather jacket, mumbling a quiet "Yes".

Taking her hand in his, the criminal watches her face closely. "Did your father say anything to you?"

A sad glint comes to her eyes. "He's just acting as if nothing happened. But I..."

He frowns. "What?"

"It's just... It must be my imagination running wild."

"Eleanor. Stop hiding." His eyes and voice are filled with warning. And she doesn't really want to make him angry.

"The last couple of days..." The blonde begins, sitting up in bed. Her legs come to rest over his lap as she moves closer, bringing one hand to his hair. "My father has been looking at me in a strange way... I see the disgust in his eyes. And Rogers was here today. When I arrived, I think they were talking about me. Woodes tried masking it, but he was angry with me, for some reason. It was weird, and now this is bugging me. I have the feeling something's wrong."

"Then you're probably right." His thumb is rubbing circles on her knee. And as he continues to speak, it slowly begins to move up her thigh. "Eleanor, I want you to know that if I have to hurt or kill someone to keep you safe, I will. Whatever sick devotion for the governor you still have-"

"I-"

"Stop. I know you. And I know that deep down, you are somewhat devoted to that idiot. It disgusts me. Max said it will take something extreme for you to lose that, and I know she's right."

She sighs, watching as his hand moved higher, his thumb now rubbing slow, teasing circles on her inner thigh.

The blonde squirms slightly, wishing he would just stop this torture and reach the spot where she needed him the most already.

"If Rogers tries forcing you into anything, I will kill him. I don't care if you hate me for it. I don't give a fuck. And you know that nothing you say will make me change my mind."

Again, this man manages to throw her into a whirlwind of emotions. His words are making her angry and scared. But at the same time his teasing touch and concern for her well being make her love him...

And she's desperate for him.

"It won't be necessary..." Much to her annoyance, her voice comes out breathy.

The criminal chuckles briefly, amused to see her like this and she rolls her eyes at him.

"Charles, I swear to God I'll-"

The words die in her throat when his fingers finally reach their destination, her eyes falling closed as a moan escapes her lips.

"Open your eyes and look at me." That deep voice says and Eleanor obeys, their eyes locking for a moment before she brings her hand to the back of his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him as if her life depended on it.

Not breaking their kiss, the criminal makes her lay back down on the mattress, covering her body with his.

He will never get tired of teasing her.

And she will never get tired of letting him.

* * *

The aftershocks are still flowing through their bodies as Charles lays on his back, pulling her to him. Eleanor's hand immediately seeks out the anchor pendant but her movements are still clumsy from all the pleasure of only a few seconds ago, so she ends up grasping some of the string too, causing the necklace to tighten around his neck.

Just like the noose.

And he can't stop himself.

"You just can't keep yourself from trying to choke me again in some way, can you?"

Tears glint in her eyes as she looks up at him, immediately letting go of the necklace and trying to move away. His arms are like steel around her though, and he kisses her reassuringly.

"It's okay. I'm just messing with you."

She nods, but sadness is still clear as day in her eyes. "What is going to happen next week? It's Wednesday already. When do you leave?"

He stays silent for a moment, caressing her exposed shoulder as her hand returned to his necklace. Maybe he should wait for a while before telling her about his decision, but...

Her sadness is too much for him to take.

"I'm not going anywhere, lady Honeypot."

She immediately looks up at his face, frowning in pure disbelief. "What?"

"I won't leave you here all alone with that bastard, Eleanor."

"Are you serious?"

He simply nods, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Of course, I can't risk the others' safety anymore. I'll send Mary, my sister, Jack and Anne to Nassau or Somalia where they will be safe. But me? I'm staying right here to make sure nothing will happen to you. The governor will remember everything, probably soon. And I will be here to help you if he tries anything."

She narrows her eyes at him. "How do you know I won't betray you again?"

The criminal shrugs, watching her face closely. "I don't."

* * *

He gets dressed just before dawn, Eleanor watching him from the bed with a scowl. Just like he used to do before the memories came back, the criminal gives her a half smirk before walking to the glass door. The blonde gets up, following him in silence.

She shivers when he pulls her to him to kiss her goodbye, her naked skin meeting the leather of his jacket.

"Get some more sleep." He says, eyes locked with hers, and she scoffs.

"You know I can't."

"At least try."

She sighs, nodding, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You know what to do if that idiot tries anything." He lets go of her, opening the glass door, a cold breeze invading the room and causing Eleanor to wrap her arms around herself.

How he wishes to help warm her up...

"Sail." She says quietly, referring to their secret little code.

Giving her an almost imperceptible smirk, Charles steps out into the balcony before beginning his descend to the pool area.

* * *

Anne and Jack stare at him from the table when he comes back to the hideout, anger clear on the redhead's face while his other accomplice lets out a heavy sigh. "You went to the mansion."

Just as he was about to answer with a "it's none of your fucking business", Davina comes rushing out of his room, immediately running up to him and throwing her arms around his waist, tears in her eyes.

"Charlie, tell her I want to stay here with you, please!"

He frowns, pulling the girl away from him and getting down on one knee in front of her, one hand on her shoulder. "What are you talking about, kid?"

"Mama said that-"

Mary comes out of his room then, a bag in her hands. "I contacted my cousin, thankfully, he was close to the country. So he's already waiting for us with a boat, we're going back to Somalia. I'm sorry, Charles. But Davina's safety is my top priority, and I can't risk it by staying here, waiting for God knows how long while you and Eleanor work out the issues of your painful past together. So I'm going home with my little girl, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

His jaw clenches and his chest tightens while his little sister sniffs in front of him, wiping some of her tears away on her sleeve. "I want to stay with you, Charlie!"

His accomplices watch the scene in silence, and as much as it hurts him, the criminal knows what he has to do.

"Look, kid... You need to go with Mary, alright? Things will get dangerous here. Not for me. I'll be okay. But for a child..." He sighs, rising back to his normal height, looking at his former lover. "Where is your cousin picking you up?"

She gives him a grateful look. "A deserted beach. It's not in the city."

"Then finish packing. We'll give you a ride."

As they were about to leave the hideout, Davina had already stopped crying, wanting to look tough. But when they made their way to the front door, she reached up for her big brother. Charles picked her up, carrying her down to the garage area.

For the first time ever, Anne is actually careful with driving, not wanting to scare the already fragile 9 year old.

And soon they find themselves on the deserted beach.

Looking out at the ocean, he stares at the catamaran swaying gently in the waves, feeling that familiar pull inside him. Charles longs for the sea. So much.

But he can't go.

A man with a small lifeboat is waiting for Mary and Davina and he watches while Jack helps his ex-lover with bringing their stuff from the car to the boat.

There's a tug on the sleeve of his leather jacket and he looks down to find his sister staring up at him with tears in her eyes.

He wasn't expecting this to hurt so damn much.

"Promise you won't disappear like our papa did."

The criminal gets down on one knee again, moving a reassuring hand to her shoulder. "I'll join you in Somalia soon, kid. I promise."

She doesn't seem to be too convinced and an idea comes to his mind. Pulling the anchor necklace over his head, he watches as her eyes widen slightly in surprise.

"This necklace has been with me ever since the day I was left at the orphanage. I never take it off. That's how important it is to me. And I want you to keep it while we're apart." He puts the necklace around her neck. "Think of it as the assurance, that we'll see each other again. I'll only get it back when we're reunited. After all, I still need to get that wooden ship and teach you how to steer it, right?"

His little sister stares down at the anchor pendant before nodding with a smile, one lone tear running down her cheek as she throws her arms around his neck.

He responds to the hug, somewhat hesitant. "I love you, Charlie."

He definitely wasn't expecting this to hurt so much.

Patting the girl's back affectionately, he raises to his feet, guiding her to the lifeboat. "You be good to Mary, understand? I want you to behave and listen to her."

"I promise."

He helps her on the boat, turning around to share a word with Mary. But Davina stops him. "Charlie! I want you to tell Eleanor I said bye. Will I see her again?"

He stares at her for a moment. "You just might, kid."

Giving her a half smile, he walks away from the boat, sharing a look with his former lover. She follows him back to the car and the criminal speaks in a quiet voice.

"Listen to me, because this is important. If you happen to see Teach... Don't mention anything about Eleanor."

"Why?"

"Just don't, Mary. Can you promise me that?"

She's clearly confused by this request, but nods anyway. "Yeah."

"Make sure Davina keeps her mouth shut too."

"I will. So... See you soon, I guess." She hesitates before wrapping an arm around his neck in a brief hug, the criminal nodding with a smirk.

"See you soon. Keep my sister safe."

"Always." She winks at him before walking back towards the sea.

He watches the distancing lifeboat with a heavy heart, a smile tugging at his lips when he sees his little sister falling asleep in Mary's arms.

Only then he notices something.

"I thought you two would go with them."

Anne scoffs with a shake of her head. "As if."

"She's right. We're with you till the end, you stubborn idiot." Jack says with a smirk as the three make their way back to the car.

The drive back to the city is silent at first, until Jack decides to try one last time.

"You know... If Rogers remembers, that's when we need to get away from here even more. He'll know what we look like, he'll remember us... The governor is smart; don't you think he'll put two and two together? Don't you think he'll have his suspicions about the identity of the criminal his wife was involved with?"

His leader's jaw clenches in anger.

"She's not his wife. Not anymore."

"You know what I mean."

"He comes after us, I kill him. Simple as that."

Anne sighs from the passenger seat. "Let's just hope she doesn't betray you again."

Jack nods with a grimace. "Let's hope."

And as much as their leader wishes he could say this won't happen, he knows he can't. When it comes to her, he can't be sure of anything.

All he can do is keep his guard up... And hope for the best.

* * *

When night comes, Eleanor brings a bottle of wine to her bathroom, starting to fill the bathtub. She really needs to relax. Spending the day under her father and Rogers' unsettling stares made her feel uneasy, to say the least.

There's definitely something going on, and she needs to find out exactly what it is.

But for now, all she needs is to calm her nerves, to try and get some sleep.

It seems impossible, now that her sleeping pills are gone. But she needs to try anyway. A groan of annoyance leaves her lips when the blonde notices she forgot to bring a glass.

"Fuck this, I'm not going to walk all the way back downstairs to get one." She says to herself, opening the bottle and taking a drink, her free hand touching the warm water as it slowly filled the tub.

And for what feels like the 100th time in the last 12 hours, she wonders what will happen tonight.

_Will he come?_

It seems to be a lot to hope for, but he said he wanted to make sure Rogers wouldn't come here in case his memories came back.

That probably means Charles will go back to the routine of appearing in her room every night he can... Right?

It's making her crazy. The wait, the anxiety. So much, in fact, that she almost texts him, asking if he would come over.

But she still has her pride.

Once the bathtub is full, she walks into her bedroom to retrieve her phone before quietly beginning to make her way back to the bathroom.

But just as she reaches the door, there's noise from the balcony. A soft smile comes to her lips but she fights it away, turning around and watching as the criminal closes the glass door behind him. He stares at her from head to toe, seeming to undress her with his eyes, and she feels naked despite the bathrobe covering her body.

Finally clearing her throat, she brings his attention back to her face. "You usually come later in the night."

He simply shrugs, taking a few steps closer. "You complaining?"

She fakes a stern look before giving up and chuckling briefly with a shake of her head, walking closer to him, hands reaching out to touch his arms."Not really."

"Good."

Unable to stop smiling, Eleanor looks up at his face with a glint in her eyes. "I was just about to get in the bathtub... Join me?"

His half smirk sends a shiver down her spine and she turns around, walking back to the bathroom.

Reaching the door, she glances over her shoulder, for some reason expecting to see him still standing there in the same spot.

_Yeah, right._

He's right behind her and she lets her eyes fall closed when his hands come to the ties of the bathrobe. The criminal undoes them expertly while dropping a kiss to her neck.

The warm hand caressing her stomach almost makes her forget all about the bathtub.

But she really needs this. So a few minutes later, she's enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by the warm water while leaning back against the criminal's firm chest. They are sharing the wine bottle in comfortable, peaceful silence, his thumb occasionally rubbing circles on the skin of her stomach.

And she suddenly notices something's missing.

With a frown, Eleanor turns her neck, trying to see his face. "Where's your necklace?"

He sighs heavily, massaging her shoulder with one hand while she returned to her previous position, closing her eyes.

"I gave it to Davina. Mary decided to go back to Somalia with her and she was scared I'd disappear like our father. So I gave it to her, saying I'll only get it back when we see each other again. It seemed to reassure her a little."

A soft smile comes to the blonde's lips, her heart fluttering.

"Who would've ever known..." She begins, smirking and turning around in his arms to face him, straddling his lap. "...the savage, fearsome Captain Vane doing something so sweet for his little sister-"

He interrupts her words, pulling her closer roughly and attacking her lips for a moment before moving on to leave bruises on her neck. Her mouth parts, nails digging into the skin of his shoulders as she lifts herself up on her knees. His harsh love bites give her just the right amount of pain and she loves it, not caring about how hard it will be to hide the hickeys from her father and Woodes in the next few days.

"Say I'm 'sweet' again." He challenges, his low voice right next to her ear sending shivers down her spine. The warning is clear in his tone, but she was never afraid to play with fire. And she never would be.

"You're swee-" He pushes her down into his lap in a rough manner. Again, her words are cut off and she cries out loudly at the burning, amazing sensation of him inside her.

A smirk refuses to leave her lips while they move together, urgency clear in their eyes.

Water sloshes around them, splashing over the tub's edges and falling to the floor, capturing Eleanor's attention for a second. But the criminal grabs her chin, making her meet his eyes again with a low growl of warning.

"Eyes on mine."

She scoffs at him, earning her a particularly sharp, hard thrust that makes her forget how to breathe for a moment. All the water soaking her bathroom floor is completely forgotten as she kisses him, wanting to make him lose that infuriating smug smirk of his.

His hands move all over her body, touching, caressing, fondling, while his teeth kept returning to her neck, her collarbone, her earlobe...

She's completely overwhelmed. In a very, very good way.

Pulling away to look at her face, the criminal changes his movements, thrusting into her slowly with sure, purposeful strokes while savoring every reaction, every breathy curse and the way her nails were digging into his shoulder.

The slow rhythm doesn't last for too long though. A whispered "please" leaves Eleanor's lips, her eyes sparkling with urgency. And it's all it takes to make him lose control.

She throws her head back, trying desperately to keep up with his movements, their gasps, grunts and moans echoing through her bathroom.

After less than a minute she looks him in the eyes one last time before letting her head drop to his shoulder with a short scream of his name, her release triggering his.

Silence stretches while they stay there in the bathtub, unmoving, trying to catch their breath.

Eventually the blonde looks up at his face, a lazy smile playing on her lips. She looks so relaxed, completely different from the tense, stressed woman she usually is.

_All thanks to him._

But her smile slowly vanishes when her eyes settle on his birthmark. Sighing, Eleanor leans forward to kiss it lightly before pulling away and tracing the faded line with her fingers

She doesn't fail to notice how Charles lovingly runs his fingers over her own birthmark under the water, watching her closely.

Their eyes lock and his heart clenches at the amount of guilt and regret he finds in those blue-green depths.

"Please forgive me." She whispers, fingers still on his neck, and he's not sure if she had wanted him to hear it or not.

"No." Charles tries to keep his voice as cold as he can, though he's still caressing the line on her stomach under the water.

Pain flickers in her eyes but she shows no other reaction to his answer, simply tangling one hand in his hair and not daring to avert her eyes from his.

Minutes drag by while they stare at each other, and the somewhat heavy atmosphere is broken when a yawn escapes the blonde's lips, much to Charles' amusement.

She rolls her eyes at his brief chuckle.

"Let's get you to bed."

She doesn't protest, trying not to stare too much at his naked body while they get out of the bathtub.

"Careful with this wet floor." She can hear the care in his voice, unable to stop smiling at the way he stays close to her while they dry themselves, his eyes watching her closely. He's ready to catch her if she slips.

And while part of her finds this annoying, another part can't help but think it's endearing.

Maybe, just maybe... There's nothing wrong with letting someone take care of her from times to times.

Not even bothering with getting dressed, they head back into her room.

"You staying?" Eleanor asks, hope flickering in her eyes while the criminal watches her get under the blankets.

He glances at the door of the room, sitting on the mattress. "Yeah. Hopefully this is the night the governor will get his memories back."

She frowns, a shiver going down her spine when he lays down by her side and wraps his arms around her waist.

Out of habit, her hand seeks out the anchor pendant. When she doesn't find it, she simply chooses to grasp at his hair. "It will take a while for me to get used to this."

Her voice is quiet, the frown refusing to leave her face.

"What's on your mind?" His grave voice asks and she sighs heavily, looking up at his face.

"Why do you want Woodes to remember?"

His arms tighten around her and he clenches his jaw for a moment. "I want him to come here and find us like this. I want him to see his perfect little wife with a 'dirty pirate'." His thumb caresses her arm softly, in contrast with his harsh voice. "I want him to suffer, and I want this fight. And I don't give a damn if you don't like this."

Eleanor stays silent as the minutes drag by. But she makes no move to push him away. And when she finally speaks... it's the last thing he was expecting her to say.

"I'm not his 'perfect little wife' anymore."

The scowl on his face fades away, a brief chuckle escaping him. Meeting her eyes again, the criminal revels in her soft smile, her blue-green eyes sparkling with barely hidden mischief.

"No. You're not."

Unable to resist, the blonde kisses him, enjoying his warmth and his familiar, reassuring embrace. It's never enough... she just missed him so much.

And minutes later, when she's falling asleep in the safety of his arms, Eleanor can't bring herself to feel worried or scared. This is her own personal paradise.

_Charles_  is her own personal paradise.

And now that she finally admitted this to herself... She can truly and completely enjoy her Captain... her Guardian Angel.

_At last._

* * *

The full moon shines brightly, illuminating the sea while the catamaran breaks through the waves.

"Thank you for coming so fast." Mary tells her cousin and the man nods, the familiar buzz cut blonde hair making her smile. She missed her home and her family.

"The boss wants to talk to you as soon as we arrive."

She grimaces. "So soon? Can I at least take Davina to the house first?"

He shakes his head. "Sorry, Mary. My orders are to take both of you directly to see him. You know no one disobeys Teach. But hey, it's a nice opportunity. Not everyone gets the chance to see him."

She sighs heavily. "I just hope he won't scare Davina."

"Please. She doesn't get scared so easily."

The little girl walks over to them, rubbing her eyes and tugging at the sleeve of the man's jacket.

"Cousin Billy? What are you and mama talking about?"

He smiles warmly, picking her up. "Nothing, baby girl. There's just someone who wants to see the two of you when we get back home."

"Are we almost there?"

Billy sighs, shaking his head. "It will take some time, little one. We're still a long way from home."

The child lays her head on his shoulder, sniffing quietly.

"Oh, sweetie. What's wrong, are you hurt?" Mary asks, touching her back with a worried frown and the girl shakes her head, tears glinting in her eyes.

"I miss Charlie."

The adoptive mother smiles lovingly at her. "You will see him soon, baby. Don't forget that. And be careful. Remember he asked you not to call him by the nickname in front of other people."

Suddenly her eyes light up and she lifts her head, looking at the man's face. "Cousin Billy, I have a last name now! It's Vane! Just like my big brother!"

He frowns, his eyes clouding over for a moment.

"You okay?" Mary asks and he blinks a few times to clear his thoughts.

"Yeah... That was weird. I just had a really strong déjà vu. I'm pretty sure I heard this name somewhere before."

The woman scoffs, shaking her head. "Unlikely."

"Tell me more about this mysterious brother of yours, kid."

"You will love him! He's scary and strong, and he will come see us soon! He had a ship, it was made of wood and her name was Ranger! He has long hair, and he's mean most of the time. But he always protects me, and Eleanor too-"

"Davina!" Mary interrupts her and the child frowns in confusion while Billy's eyes cloud over again. Shaking his head, he takes a look around. The men he brought with him are probably sleeping already.

His cousin's heavy sigh brings him back from his thoughts.

"We weren't supposed to mention this woman's name. But it was my fault. I forgot to tell Davina. Please don't tell anyone about her. Especially not Teach. For some reason, Charles really doesn't want him to know about this woman."

"Who is she? And what is your ex-lover's relation to the boss?"

"Teach is his uncle. He left him at an orphanage in LA when Charles was a baby. For the boy's own safety."

Billy scoffs, raising his eyebrows. "Talk about coincidence. And what about this Eleanor woman? That's another name I could swear I heard before. Is she blonde? Something tells me she is."

"She is!" Davina speaks up, meeting the man's eyes. "She's so beautiful. And so good at drawing! My big brother said maybe she will come with them when they travel to see me!"

Billy scowls, looking over at his cousin. "Mary, this is not good. A whole group coming to find us? Just how many people-"

"Just a couple, besides Charles. Maybe Eleanor too. But it's no big deal. I mean, Charles is Teach's long lost nephew. The only link to his dead sister. I'm sure he'll be happy to see him. And the couple... They are his accomplices, and can actually be some help if they decide to join us. Jack is smart as fuck, and Anne... She's a killing machine, not afraid to be audacious and get her hands dirty. They are the greatest criminals in that city. No one ever came close to catching them. It will be okay. They won't bring problems for us. Only benefits. I promise."

"And what about Eleanor?"

Mary sighs, staring out at the sea. "Maybe she'll come. But don't worry. She's just Charles'... Okay, I'm not really sure what they are, but they're obviously together. She will only, uh..." She looks down at a half-asleep Davina in Billy's arms before lowering her voice. "...warm his bed. That's all."

The man shakes his head. "I don't know... Something tells me this is not the kind of woman who's happy to just... warm a man's bed."

"From what I've seen, no, she's not. But she'll bring benefits too. Like Jack, she's really smart-"

"No." Billy interrupts, a worried frown on his face. "Something tells me... That she's more likely to use her intelligence to bring trouble... Not benefits."

"Stop worrying so much. I'm not even sure if she'll actually come. And if she even tries to screw us over in any way, you know that Teach will... take care of her."

"And Charles will let him? Without a fight and bloodshed?"

Mary pauses, scowling. From what she's seen of their connection... There's no way Charles would let someone hurt her. He would kill anyone who tried. Uncle or not.

With a sigh, Mary takes a sleeping Davina from her cousin's arms, turning around and heading off to put the child to bed.

Billy stares out at the ocean before closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. There's a pull on his mind. He's worried about what these new people may bring.

And also... He just can't ignore this feeling... As if he left something important back in LA.

_Someone?_

This is absurd. And he needs to worry about more important stuff.

Hard times are coming. Billy just knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who was eager for their journey to Nassau, don't worry! It will still happen ;) There's a special someone coming soon, and he will help the gang with it. We'll soon be leaving LA behind :)


	43. That's All I Ask of You

It's been almost two weeks since Mary decided to leave with Davina.

From what Charles told her, the woman contacted him yesterday, saying they were both okay and almost home. There were storms and other problems with the catamaran. But according to Mary, they were alright now.

However, Eleanor is actually worried about the little girl.

There are other stuff on her mind right now, though. Like how hard she's trying not to shudder in disgust at the sickening fake smile on Woodes' face, the way he's holding her hand...

And slipping an engagement ring on her finger.

Last night, she overheard him talking to her father here in the office. They were making plans. The man who was once her husband was talking about how he planned to take her to his family's mansion in the next few days.

So she had no choice.

She almost panicked, running to her room and trying hard not to burst into tears. And when Charles came later in the night, she threw herself at him the instant he stepped foot inside the room.

How she longed to tell him everything... To tell him what was going on. She wanted to, so much.

But if she did, the criminal would have probably just found a way to tie her to the bed before leaving in search of Richard. He would kill him.

So she fought against her tears and kept her mouth shut, undressing and pulling him towards her bed to distract him in the best way she could, turning off the lights to keep him from seeing the sadness in her eyes.

It worked, and when the tears finally won, her pirate was already asleep beside her.

As she cried quietly in his arms, Eleanor's mind raced, trying to come up with any other ideas, anything that didn't involve _this._

But there was nothing.

So she held on tight to her Captain, crying herself to sleep while enjoying every second of being in his arms.

Because there was no way of telling how he would react to her plans... He would be pissed. And angry because she hid this situation from him.

_So much for trying to prove she had changed..._

Would he shut her out again when he found out about this?

Maybe she could take the ring off whenever they were together... But the news of this engagement would reach his ears, and soon.

It will be even worse if he finds out like this.

No. He needs to hear it from her mouth.

"You look beautiful with it." The voice she's beginning to hate brings her back from her thoughts and Eleanor glances down at her fingers, trying not to scowl.

The ring is too tight. It's making her uncomfortable already.

The delicate diamond sparkles as she moves her hand, and it's so beautiful...

It makes her feel sick.

Woodes is still holding her hand and this situation makes her feel dizzy with déjà vu.

The words "I do" echo through her mind, and all she wants is to run. Straight to the hideout.

Straight to _him._

Instead of doing this, she forces a smile, looking up at her... fiancée's handsome face while her father watched them proudly from behind his desk. "I knew you would come to your senses, sooner or later. This is going to be the greatest wedding this city has ever seen. We need to start taking care of everything right away."

"You can choose everything, darling. The decorations, the music-"

"First of all... I don't want the usual, boring songs." Eleanor interrupts the arrogant idiot, knowing she has to make it look like she really plans to go through with this wedding.

He frowns, looking at her while Richard lets out a heavy sigh.

"You don't like the wedding march?"

"No. It makes me want to fall asleep."

The brief chuckle that escapes Rogers' lips doesn't sound fake or forced.

But she still feels uncomfortable as hell.

"Alright, then. I don't want my bride falling asleep at the altar. We'll pick another song. How about 'All I Ask of You'? It's beautiful."

She almost scoffs in disbelief, instantly remembering that movie night at Max and Idelle's house.

"Yeah. It's perfect."

He smiles, taking one last look down at the engagement ring on her finger before turning around to face Richard. As they talk, she takes a deep breath, walking over to a window and watching the vast gardens surrounding the mansion.

Her heart is beating wildly as she touches the tight ring on her finger. All she wants is to take it off and throw it as far as she possibly can.

Not sure how much time has passed, the blonde jumps slightly when someone walks up to her side, looking out the window with her, close enough that his arm touched hers.

Feeling the fabric of the suit jacket against her skin, she almost pushes him away.

But this is a test and she knows it.

Between the silent warning in Woodes' body language and her father watching her every movement like a hawk, she feels trapped.

So Eleanor fights against the disgust, trying to ignore it as she leans her head on his shoulder.

And a shiver runs down her spine when she notices how similar this is to a very uncomfortable memory from the past.

_Staring out the window..._

_With him._

_Watching..._

She squeezes her eyes shut as her mind conjures the disturbing image of Charles' dead body in that cage. It hurts like hell and she gasps sharply, barely able to contain the broken sob that threatens to leave her lips.

Instinct makes her hide her face in Rogers' shoulder and he brings a hand to hers, rubbing it in an attempt to reassure her.

"Don't be like that, love." He whispers. She wants to scream. "It will be okay. Everything will be just fine. I will take good care of you, alright? It's a promise."

_Just like you did three centuries ago?_

"You will be the happiest wife in this world. You'll see."

His words only bring her closer to a panic attack. So does the kiss he drops to the top of her head.

And she just wishes the evening will come soon.

She needs her pirate.

Even knowing how angry he will be, she just needs him.

So fucking much.

* * *

_"Please meet me at that other hideout. We need to talk."_

Eleanor takes a shuddering breath, staring down at the message she had sent an hour ago.

Sitting here on the bed and waiting for the criminal to arrive, she desperately tries to think of what to say to him. But the truth is that he'll be angry, no matter what she says.

The ring feels so damn heavy and tight on her finger... she starts trying to take it off. Maybe if he doesn't see it, his reaction won't be too harsh...

It simply refuses to leave her finger though, and her heart skips a beat when heavy footsteps make their way up the stairs.

After freezing for a moment, the blonde quickly gets to her feet, hiding her left hand behind her back just as the criminal opens the door to the room. There's concern in his eyes and he watches her in silence, stopping a few feet away from her, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Finally taking a deep breath, Eleanor starts to speak.

"I wanted to... warn you about something. In the next few days, you may... Hear some rumors around the city. People saying that I am engaged to Rogers."

Charles narrows his eyes at her, taking a step closer. His grave voice is filled with suspicion. "And is it true?"

Her silence makes him clench his jaw in anger.

"I can explain-"

He gives her no chance say anything else, storming over to her and grabbing her left wrist. It was still hidden behind her back.

Her blood runs cold when he pulls it to his face, staring at the expensive engagement ring in silence.

There's a mix of emotions in his eyes.

Disappointment. Raw anger. Pain... pure pain. It makes her heart break.

But not as much as the words he says next.

"Get out of my fucking sight."

Despair spreads inside her.

"Please let me explain-"

"What is there to explain, Eleanor?! I should have known, that you'd just betray me again-"

"It's not what you're thinking! Three hundred years ago chaos ensued because I refused to let you explain yourself, about what happened with Max... Please, don't let this happen again. Listen to what I have to say."

Her words seem to make him stop to consider the situation. The criminal sighs heavily, staring out the window, unable to look at her face. "You have two minutes."

The blonde wastes no time, immediately beginning to explain herself. "I'm not doing this because I want to. A few days ago... Rogers went to see me. He said that if I didn't go back to 'normal' soon, he would take me to his family's mansion. He and my father wanted to 'keep me away from danger'." Charles scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief as she continues. "And yesterday, I heard them talking. They were about to go through with this plan... I knew there was only one way out. So I accepted the stupid engagement ring."

"And just what exactly do you plan on doing in the long run? How long will it take until they get tired and just force you to really marry that idiot?"

"I'll just... figure something out. Like I always do. For now, all that matters is that I'm buying some time."

Charles finally turns around to face her, anger evident in every muscle of his body. "You do realize that this would be kidnapping, right? If that bastard kept you in his mansion against your will."

She shrugs, tears coming to her eyes.

He watches her face for a moment, shaking his head.

"When did you plan on telling me about this whole situation, Eleanor?"

She averts her eyes, her heart clenching when he scoffs, his tone growing colder and colder. "You didn't. So much for thinking you had changed."

"For fuck's sake! I'm trying!"

"You're trying?!" His voice raises considerably and she tries hard not to flinch, the annoying ring making her feel even worse. "Then why can't you bring yourself to trust me? I was there in your room last night, why couldn't you just talk to me about this? We could have figured something else out, together-"

She scowls at him, all the bitterness of their past resurfacing.

"Oh, please! You don't get to do this! Want to know why I didn't say anything? Because I was scared to death! Scared that you would kill my father, again!"

"It's your own fault if I killed him, and you know that! All because you had to betray me-"

She runs up to him, hitting his chest with all her strength. He barely feels it.

"Don't you dare putting the blame of his death on my shoulders!"

"Whose death? The man who almost drowned you when you were only two years old?"

Tears roll down her face and she whimpers in pain, her fingers hurting from hitting his firm chest. The ring only causes her even more pain.

"I hate you!"

"Why? Because I always make you face the truth, no matter how painful it is? Then by all means, hate me. Hate me with all your strength. Because I don't regret doing this. I refuse to treat you as some breakable, fragile thing. I refuse to coddle you!"

He grabs a hold of her hands, a bruise starting to form under the tight engagement ring. She's shaking in anger, her eyes wild and filled with tears.

It just makes him want her.

Clenching his jaw to control himself, the criminal releases her hands, stepping away from her. "You need to leave. Right now."

Eleanor stares at him for a moment, a tear rolling down her cheek, before she turns around and walks to the door. But something snaps inside her.

"No." She faces him again, making no move to open the door and leave. "I won't leave. You know why? Because if I do, I will be just repeating the same old mistakes. I came here tonight for a reason, Charles. I wanted you to hear about this engagement from my own mouth. I could have kept this from you... But sooner or later, it would reach your ears. And it would only make you even angrier. I didn't want to... lie to you. That's why I came here."

He seems to be at a loss for words.

But she continues to speak. "I don't want to repeat the same mistakes. I want to change things, I want..."

"You should have thought about that before deciding to keep this situation from me! I would have helped you, but if there can't be trust between us, then we're doomed to meet a tragic end again, why can't you see that?"

She scoffs in disbelief, trying to ignore the pain in her fingers. "You have got to be kidding me! How can I trust you after what you did?"

She immediately regrets her words and he lets out a dry laugh. "Looks like we agree on that one, Princess. I killed your father. You killed me. Who wins?"

The words cut her like a knife, tears flowing freely. And suddenly she wants to let it all out. "For God's sake, let this go! What the hell do I have to do? You know why I'm doing all of this? For myself, of course, but also for you! I'm so fucking scared, Charles, of causing your destruction again. I'll do whatever it takes to keep Woodes from finding you... I don't want him to even suspect that we're still seeing each other. Back when our memories were recovered, you have no idea how much I fought, I did everything I could to make him give up on his search for you! And in case you don't remember, when he first found out about us, I ran to you. I  _chose_   _you,_  Charles! I was ready to leave everything behind, to stay with you, we were going to stand out ground and fight for another day, another month, another year. A lifetime! Because I fucking love you!"

He looks up at her, surprise written all over his face and Eleanor exhales sharply, her eyes widening as she realizes what she just did.

_I love you._

She said it out loud.

Charles closes his eyes and counts to ten.

Or would have, because he only makes it to three.

In the blink of an eye, he's on her, kissing her as if his life depended on it. The blonde immediately responds, gasping in surprise when he suddenly lifts her from the floor to set her on the table right beside them.

That sinful beard scrapes at the skin of her neck while he kisses and bites his way down to her collarbone, her legs wrapping tightly around his hips.

"Then I suggest that you stop loving me." His tone is dark and she knows he doesn't really mean the words.

"I can't."

"As I said before... I don't know if you're too brave or too stupid. To come here and tell me that you are engaged to the governor again... And you don't even have your knife. No way to defend yourself at all."

He meets her eyes, and the lust written all over her face makes it even harder for him to concentrate on staying angry.

"If you really wanted me dead, I'd already be buried by now." He keeps her stare, arms tightening around her waist as he nods slightly in agreement. "But I'm not."

"Yet."

She scoffs. "You can't bring yourself to hurt me. Maybe you could even let Anne do it, but you? You can't kill me."

"Unlike you."

She frowns, squirming in his arms, trying to pull away from him.

"Don't talk about that. It still hurts too much."

"And you think this doesn't hurt?" His arms tighten around her even more. "Every time I look at you, it fucking kills me. It kills me to remember what you did. To think that you married  _him._ "

She shakes her head furiously.

"Don't..."

"What? Even if you regret it, it happened, Eleanor. It happened. And you can't blame for being careful with you. I still think any minute you'll leave and go back to his bed, tell him all about me."

"Never."

The criminal lets go of her, walking away from the table. The hopeless, hurt look he sees in her eyes when he turns around to face her again is almost too much for him.

"Please, Charles... I just want you to trust me with this... And to forgive me... I'll do anything."

"What changed?"

"Me. I changed. I went through different experiences in this life, so I could learn what's really important to me, what really matters... And who really deserves my loyalty."

He shakes his head before walking over to the bed and sitting on the mattress with a scowl, rubbing his forehead.

"What do I have to do?" She sounds so hopeless.

He watches her for a moment, sighing heavily. "How about we try something?"

Her eyes light up, hope flickering in the blue-green depths as she hops down from the table and rushes over to the bed. "What?"

"Honesty. For once. How about you tell me your thoughts and your motives, everything you were feeling, from the moment you ended things between us, to the moment of my hanging. Be completely honest, open, unguarded. Don't hide a thing from me. Tell me everything. Even if it takes hours, I don't care. Just be true, Eleanor. That's all I ask of you."

She takes a shuddering breath, her walls trying to come up. "You... You know that's a lot to ask from me-"

"Well, it's a lot to ask for me to stay with you after everything that happened too, don't you think?"

She scowls but it soon fades away as she sits down beside him, wincing slightly. For a moment he worries, thinking she might have been cutting. But then the criminal remembers how she hit his chest several times a few minutes ago.

"Let me see your hands."

After hesitating for a moment, the blonde obeys, watching in silence while he massaged them softly, checking for signs of any serious injuries.

"You'll be fine. There will be pain for a few days though. Bet the same thing happened three hundred years ago, right? You were probably in pain for a while after punching me in that cell-"

"Charles." She sounds so hurt and lost that he immediately stops talking, meeting her eyes. The amount of pain and tears he sees in them catches him off guard. "Please... please don't talk about this, I... It just hurts more than anything... Not even the memories of all the times my father pushed me away hurt me as much as remembering what I did to you."

Yes, he definitely wasn't expecting that.

As the tears run down her face, his eyes drop to the expensive ring on her finger. The diamond glints beautifully, and it pisses him off.

"It's hurting you." He says, taking her hand in his and lifting it to get a closer look at the bruise under the ring.

"It's too tight... Woodes must have asked my father about what ring size I wear. And of course he didn't know. It's been making me uncomfortable since the moment he slipped it on my finger. But when I started hitting your chest, I made it even worse."

He scowls, staring at the ring and she watches him, trying hard to control the tears. "When you got here, I was trying to remove it, but no matter how hard I tried..." The criminal looks up and their eyes lock. She suddenly wants his help. "Please... please, get this thing off my finger, Charles. I just want it to come off... Please, it hurts."

Her voice is shaky and his heart clenches, a fresh wave of hate for the governor overcoming him.

"It's okay. Just hold on. I'll remove it for you, but it will probably hurt a little."

She nods, biting her lower lip when he begins to pull the ring. Her eyes squeeze shut, the pain and pressure on her finger making her feel even worse.

And suddenly, there's relief.

Eleanor opens her eyes just in time to see Charles throw the engagement ring as far as he could, his jaw clenched hard.

She tries reaching out to touch him, desperately needing the comfort only he could offer. But her heart breaks in a million pieces when he moves away, leaning against the bed's headboard and looking at her with cold eyes.

"If you want to try doing what I suggested... you're free to stay. But if you're too weak to do it, then leave and don't ever come looking for me again."

Her breath catches. Looking down at the bruise left by the ring, the blonde silently tries to gather the courage.

"I was grateful, you know?" She finally begins after a few minutes. "When I... ended things between us, and you went back to the sea right away. I was really grateful that you weren't there to see how much I was suffering because of my decision. The first few weeks were hell... I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep... Of course, I didn't let people see my pain. Only Mr. Scott noticed. And as much as he tried to assure me that I was doing the right thing... As much as I tried to believe him, part of me just kept saying that this was wrong, that... It was a big, huge mistake. You were gone for months... And I was so fucking scared. A million thoughts ran through my head. I thought you could be dead... I thought about storms, mutiny... I had nightmares almost every night. About you. They were different every time. I saw your ship sinking during a storm, you drowning or being eaten alive by the sharks... I saw you dying in battle. I saw... You being captured and hanged. Ironic, right?"

Her eyes are filled with tears by now and it takes every ounce of his willpower not to hold her in his arms and comfort her.

"Every morning when I woke up, I would look out at the bay. Hoping to see the Ranger. And every time, my heart sank, because she wasn't there... It killed me. And I hated myself so much for it. So I threw myself into work. Trying to think about my goals, trying to convince myself that this was what really mattered. And eventually, I succeeded. And all the anger I felt towards myself, for... loving you... I don't know, I somehow transferred it all to you. It was easier for me to cope with your absence. I thought I was ready to forget, I even had Max to keep me distracted... But then you came back. And all of the feelings I had worked so hard to lock away... They all came back too, stronger than ever. I was so relieved to see you alive and well. And so fucking angry too. I wanted you so bad. Every time we saw each other and you gave me that infuriating smirk, I felt like you were rubbing it in my face, the fact that I couldn't bring myself to forget about my feelings for you. This frustration, combined with how savage your stupid crew was... It made me hate you even more. So I stopped giving you the leads. Hoping you would leave again, seek life elsewhere..."

Stopping for a moment, she wipes away her tears, not even caring or trying to fight against them anymore. "And so the time passed. I tried to distract myself as much as I could, with Max and my goals... By the way... After our memories came back in this life, she told me that I used to call out you name in my sleep back in my previous life."

Affection flickers in his eyes and the criminal tries hard not to feel too happy with this revelation, keeping her gaze as she continued to speak.

"Anyway... Remember when you punched me in front of all those people? I was furious, you humiliated me and everyone watched. But you know what? What made me even angrier was the gratitude I felt for you in that moment. You... treated me as your equal, giving me what I wanted the most. In a twisted way, that was really caring of you. Had you treated me as some fragile lady, the humiliation would have been even worse. And you knew that, didn't you?"

Her heart flutters when she finally gets some sort of reaction from him, a slight nod of his head. It encourages her to keep talking. "And then you went to see me... With the excuse of asking why I did that. But before saying anything, you grabbed my chin to check my face. I didn't fail to notice that. You were worried about me, wanting to see just how much damage you had caused. You have no idea how deeply that touched me. As we talked, I had to cling to the anger and the hate, because all I wanted was to kiss you. When you came closer, touching my jaw... I almost gave in. My heart was beating so fast."

"I saw it in your eyes, and it was pathetic. You could barely control yourself. You know what I simply can't understand? Why didn't you give in? I would have done anything to keep you and that place safe. It was all I really cared about."

"Looking back now... I feel so stupid. Now I see everything so clearly. I made so many mistakes. But fate seemed to like playing a cruel game with us..."

He frowns, leaning closer and watching her face. Looking for signs of lies... But finding none. She's being completely honest and true.

For the first time ever.

"Why do you say that?"

"When I went to your tent... It was my way to say thank you, yes, but... I was unable to resist. From the moment we shook hands, I was breathless, even Flint noticed. I couldn't stop myself, I just wanted you so bad. And kissing you again, it felt like... coming home. All I could think about was how much I had missed you. In that moment, I knew I never wanted to let you go. To be away from you. As I was getting ready to leave, I tried so hard to regain my composure, but then you had to take my hand... and bring it to rest over your heart. And then I suddenly saw how you were the one for me, there was so much love in your eyes, and I knew that with you, I had nothing to fear. My feelings for you would never vanish. While you brushed my hair behind my ear, I made the decision. We could try again, we could see where things would go, I wanted to try. I couldn't resist kissing you, and in that moment I felt so happy... happier than I had been in years. Our walls were down for the first time ever, and to this day, I still think that's one of the most beautiful moments you and I ever shared. It's been safe in my heart since then." Tears are flowing freely but there's a smile on her face. A soft smile that looks exactly like the one she had given him back in the tent that night. But soon, it fades away, a haunted look coming to her eyes. "And then...  _That_  happened. My hate for you came back full force, my walls came back up immediately, and all I wanted was to hurt you. Because you almost made me change my mind, and I just couldn't allow that. You were my weakness, and I had to take care of that. So I gave the ship away. I was so angry, thinking it was your fault, what happened to Max... God, I should have just let you explain yourself, things could have been so very different... I was so stupid." She hides her face in her hands, trying to get her tears under control and the criminal almost reaches out to touch her shoulder in silent support.

_Almost._

After a couple of minutes she looks up at him again. "I was worried, you know? When you left. I lied even to myself, telling myself I didn't care if you came back or not. And when you did... With all those new men, full of bruises but still just as strong and dangerous as ever... I admired you. While still trying desperately to cling to the hate and anger. Now I see just how much energy I spent on that... How much time, too."

"You could have just stayed with me. You wouldn't need to deal with all the stress and exhaustion of trying to hate me."

She nods slightly, her eyes filled with pain, adoration and love. She's not trying to hide these emotions at all. "I know... Now I know. But back then I was so blind... It makes me angry with myself, to remember everything I did. I wanted to keep resisting, to do what I thought was best for that place. When we talked, after you came back... When you offered me a 'life free from fathers telling me what to do', part of me fell even more in love with you, because just like you said, deep down this was all I ever wanted. And you were offering it to me... And yet another part hated you even more, for knowing me better than anyone. It felt as if... No matter how hard I tried to fight, you always kept finding cracks in my walls. I didn't like that. It made me feel vulnerable and exposed... It made me feel like I was not in control, I just couldn't allow that."

His expression is unreadable as he watches her, that damn beard making her want to kiss him... But he would push her away.

"When you killed Ned... It made me feel so safe. And loved. No one had ever done something so big... for me. The way you looked at my face, after saying you didn't do it for me... So much love. I felt so overwhelmed. And warm. And scared. Later that night, I felt so angry and frustrated. You know why? Because when we were laying there together, everything was so calm and peaceful. Just like that moment in the tent. But then... When I saw you had Abigail, I just knew hell was about to break loose again. Why couldn't it be different? Why couldn't we just spend the whole night in peace, just enjoying ourselves? Once more, our perfect little bubble of peace and happiness was ruined in the blink of an eye, I was so angry, it felt like... like we were  _cursed._ "

She has to stop for a moment to get her breathing under control, to try and stop the tears. His silence is unnerving and soothing at the same time. How the hell does he manage to do that?

"I don't know if you'll believe me... But betraying you that night in the fort was one of the hardest, most painful things I ever did. You have no idea how much I wanted to just lay back down with you. It hurt me so much to do that."

He scoffs, finally speaking. "I saw the pain in your eyes. But you deserved every bit of it."

"I know... And I was suffering so much after that, but... when you killed him-"

Her voice breaks. And Charles can't stop himself, reaching to squeeze one of of her hands in silent support. He soon lets go though, and she instantly misses the contact.

"My grief and anger made my blind, and as Mary said... These two feelings don't mix too well together. I wanted you to pay for that. In my eyes, I was about to finally earn my father's affection... We were going to build something together and then you took him from me."

There's hate in her eyes. But he simply gives her a dark half smirk. "I don't regret what I did, Eleanor. And I would gladly do it again."

"But you won't... right?"

He stays silent, causing panic to rise in her chest. "Right?"

Finally, the criminal sighs, shaking his head slightly. "As long as he doesn't... do something to you."

She nods, looking down at the bruise on her finger. "So... Is this enough for you? All these feelings... This is the first time I talk about them, admit them... To myself, to someone else... Are you satisfied?"

He narrows his eyes at her, staring right into her soul. "You know I'm not. You stopped talking at the most important part."

The blonde swallows hard, fresh tears rolling down her face as she shakes her head furiously. The mere thought of talking about this part of their previous lives seems to be too much for her to take.

"I don't really want to... Talk about this part of our story. Please, don't make me do it... it just  _hurts_  too much..."

Charles can see she's being honest. That the pain is real, every bit of it. And he doesn't really feel like making this already deep wound even worse.

"Then talk about the cell. That's all I ask. The hanging... I think I've seen enough of your nightmares and your despair to know how guilty you feel. And I saw in your eyes, everything you were feeling back then anyway. Just tell me about the cell. Why did you punch me? Why did you say all those things? Be honest, and I'll be satisfied already."

"You... fucking bastard, do you know how hard this is for me?"

"Did I hit a sore spot, Princess? I'm not forcing you to do this. You can get up and walk out the door right now if you want. Just know that you can never come to me again in this case. It's your choice."

A broken sob leaves her lips as she averts her eyes. Minutes drag by, silence stretching and Charles watches her while she tries to solve her inner conflict, to gather the courage and say what he knows is extremely hard for her to even think about.

Part of him regrets putting her through this suffering.

But he knows this is necessary.

And after almost an hour of silence, her tired and shaky voice finally reaches his ears.

"I knew you were saying the truth about my father, and in that moment, something clicked in my mind. I suddenly saw how you were the one who really cared about me, not him. How you were the one who deserved my love and loyalty. In that moment I realized just how big that mistake was. But it was already too late. And so I dealt with that situation the only way I could. I fought back and tried lying to myself. I hated you for that. I hated you so fucking much. For showing me the truth. It made everything even more painful."

This is probably the first time he sees her cry so hard. The sobs make it impossible for her to speak, so she has to pause for a moment, taking deep breaths.

"I just wanted to kiss you. To somehow set you free, so you could later come set  _me_  free. I wanted you to get me out of that damn corset. Away from those people... That unfamiliar world. But it was too late. And my mind refused to acknowledge the fact that I had made such a  _huge_  mistake. So I decided to just cling to the hate. And also... I was so  _furious_  at you, I wanted you to just sign the fucking paper and be taken away... I didn't want to see... I didn't... I thought that... If you were away from me when you died, it would hurt less, I just..." Unable to say anything else, she lets the tears flow freely, looking up at his face for a moment before gathering the courage and throwing herself at him, her arms going around his neck while she hid her face in his shoulder, praying he wouldn't push her away.

She doesn't think she can handle the pain if he does that.

For a moment, it seems as if he will, as a growl leaves his lips and he brings his hands to her shoulders with the intention of pulling her away from his body. But when he feels her warm tears on his skin, when he feels her shaking so hard, sobs wracking her body, all his resolve is lost.

So he simply moves his hands lower to her waist, letting her cry in his shoulder.

"It's so unfair. So fucking unfair! Remember what I said, about what happens every time we're happy and in peace? This followed us to this new life too! When I chose you, finally ready to leave it all behind and stay with you, the memories came back and all hell broke loose... It just looks like fate was mocking us... And now, when we were working things out, this happens!"

His hands move up and down her back slowly, his heart clenching for her.

It's like a dam has been broken, her emotions running free after being locked away for such a long time.

"Why does fate makes us suffer?" Her voice is quiet and she looks up at his face with red, swollen eyes, tears all over her cheeks.

Unable to resist, he brings one of his hands to her face and gently tries to wipe away some of the moisture from her skin as she speaks again in a pained voice that goes straight to his heart. "Why, Charles? Why must there be a curse between us... between me and you?"

He shakes his head. "There's no curse, Eleanor. You just made wrong choices...  _We_  made wrong choices."

"Can you ever forgive me?" It's nothing but a whisper. He's barely able to make out her words.

Can he?

He's not sure.

So he doesn't answer her question, laying down in bed and pulling her with him, letting her hear his heartbeat.

It's like Eleanor can't believe he's here, with her, alive. As if she thinks it's too good to be true. She listens to his heartbeat, grasps his wrist to feel the reassuring pulse. Always doing her best to stay as close to him as possible.

"Sometimes... I still can't believe you're alive..."

Her voice is still quiet and he sighs, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm here. And there is no curse, alright?"

She scoffs, bringing her hand to the collar of his leather jacket and holding on to it weakly. "I should go back... It's the middle of the week, I-"

"You're not going anywhere. It's late and you're exhausted."

She really is. Must have been even harder on her than Charles thought, to admit all those feelings and regrets.

A soft chuckle leaves her lips. "If I'm staying, then..."

Her shaky hand starts to trail down his stomach and he grabs it immediately, locking their fingers together. "You look half dead. Sorry but that's not my thing."

She groans in annoyance, unaware of the smirk on his face.

The criminal rubs her arm soothingly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sleep. You'll feel better after getting some rest. And you need it."

He doesn't need to tell her twice.

In less than two minutes, she's already passed out in his arms, her even breathing making him smile softly.

Truth be told, all her revelations took a toll on him too. How can he bring himself to be angry after everything she said? He knows she's never been this honest and unguarded with someone before. Maybe he should just trust her with this... But if these two idiots try forcing her to go through with this fucking wedding, he will make them pay.

His eyelids feel heavy, and the last thing he thinks about before sleep claims him is keeping the sleeping blonde in his arms safe.

Always keep her safe...

No matter what happens.

* * *

Hours later, Charles slowly wakes up to the feeling of lips on his neck.

It's still dark outside and Eleanor is kissing his birthmark, not shaking or crying anymore. He's relieved to notice that.

His fingers tighten around her arm and he feels her smile against his skin.

"You awake?"

He answers the question by covering her body with his, watching as relief flickers in her eyes before she kisses him with a soft sigh.

In less than a minute their clothes are all gone.

There's a strong complicity between them, they both feel so much lighter now, after the talk they shared...

And when they realize it, hours have passed, the first lights of dawn already illuminating the room.

With a heavy sigh, Eleanor drops a kiss to his chest, just over his heart, before getting to her feet and dressing in silence.

"Where did you throw the ring?" Her tone is cautious, fear evident in her eyes. She's scared he'll get angry all over again.

But he merely points towards the table. "It landed somewhere close to it."

The blonde quickly finds the annoying engagement ring, walking back to the bed and sitting on the mattress.

Taking a deep breath, she slips it back on her finger while the criminal watches, one hand caressing her back. He scowls when she winces in pain, the tight ring making her bruise worse.

Sighing heavily, Eleanor begins to work on the buttons of her blazer, a smile tugging at her lips when she realizes how similar this situation looks to that time in the tent...

And Charles obviously notices too, because he reaches out to take one of her hands, stopping her movements and bringing her hand to rest over his heart.

Unable to stop smiling, the blonde looks down at his face, seeing just the same amount of love she did three centuries ago.

But when he brushes her hair behind her ear, a sad fear comes creeping in, her smile disappearing.

What if something happens to ruin this moment? To ruin the peace between them?

Tears burn in her eyes when she leans down to kiss him, exactly like she did in the tent.

Seconds later, she pulls away, staring at the door, looking all around the room, expecting some tragedy to happen and tear them away from each other all over again.

But there's nothing but peaceful silence.

"You see? Nothing happened." Charles' voice brings her back from her thoughts and she looks down at his face again, her heart fluttering when she sees the sincere, devoted look in his eyes.

"I will prove it to you, that there is no curse... But you'll need to help me. We can do this, alright? We can do this together. We just need to try, to make an effort. Think you can do this, lady Honeypot?"

She'll never get tired of hearing this nickname again...

A brief, happy laugh leaves her lips as she nods, caressing his face. "Yes... God, yes."

The criminal smirks, bringing a hand to the back of her neck and pulling her into another kiss.

She ends up staying for hours, taking dark delight in enjoying all the pleasure her pirate was giving her while still wearing Woodes' stupid engagement ring. It feels like such a huge betrayal to him, and for some reason Eleanor absolutely loves this.

The blonde also knows that when she finally goes back to the mansion, her father will be waiting, probably needing her help with the Trading Company, as always.

He will be so disappointed with her...

But for the first time, she doesn't give a damn about his disapproval.

She simply doesn't give a damn.


	44. Blast From the Past

_**Somalia** _

The room is dark. A table lamp provides just enough illumination to let Mary see the man sitting at the other side of the old wooden desk. Davina is sitting on her lap, sometimes stealing quick, shy glances at the man and his dark beard as they wait to hear what he has to say.

Finally, he speaks up, watching the adoptive mother's face closely. "I want you to tell me everything that happened. The men told me you and your girl were captured by the owners of the Eurydice. Is that true?"

"Yes sir."

"What did they look like?"

She's taken aback at the question, a frown coming to her face as she tells him about the two monsters that put her and her baby girl through so much suffering.

Teach listens in silence, scowling darkly when she tells him about Woodes.

Suddenly, he interrupts her. "And he's living in LA? Woodes Rogers?"

She nods, watching as the man lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his forehead. It looks as if he just realized he made a huge mistake.

"Thank you for your time, Read. Go take your girl to get some rest."

She nods, patting Davina's shoulder. The child gets off her lap and she gets to her feet while her adoptive daughter steals one last glance at Teach.

Mary begins to guide her to the door, but the man's voice stops them.

"Kid, where did you get that necklace?"

The girl turns around to meet his eyes, a nervous look on her face. "My big brother gave it to me."

Teach gestures for her to come closer and she looks up at Mary apprehensively. The woman nods with a forced smile. "Go ahead, sweetie. It's okay."

Swallowing her fear as best as she could, Davina walks around the wooden desk, stopping right beside his chair.

The man stares deep in her eyes, seeming to recognize them while reaching to grab a hold of the anchor pendant, glancing down at it for a moment before meeting her eyes again.

"What's your brother's name, child?"

"Vane." She answers immediately, knowing she can't say the nickname in front of a stranger. Her big brother wouldn't like that.

Teach stares at her face for a few seconds before letting go of the pendant and looking at Mary. "Does he know?"

Sighing heavily, she looks at Davina. "Sweetie, wait for me outside."

"But mama-"

"Just for a few minutes, baby. Cousin Billy is at the other side of this door, it'll be okay. Now go."

Huffing softly in annoyance, the child walks out of the room, closing the door behind her.

After a few seconds, the woman nods. "Yes. He found some letter of yours... And he learned about how you left him at the orphanage. It was a surprise even for me. I thought this was a mystery that would never be solved."

"Does he hate me?"

"I don't think so."

"And has he crossed paths with Rogers?"

"I don't think they ever met. But Charles is a criminal. So of course that asshole is after him. He never came close to finding him though."

Pride flickers in Teach's eyes but he shows no other reaction to her words.

Mary sees right through him, though. He wants to go see her former lover.

"I advise you to stay here. He'll come to you eventually, he's just... Taking care of stuff back in LA."

The man frowns, tapping his fingers on the desk's surface. "What sort of stuff?"

"I'm not really sure... But he'll come once he's ready. He promised Davina. And he wanted to find you too."

Silence stretches.

The look in his eyes when he speaks again is apprehensive.

"Tell me something. Is he involved with a... blonde woman?"

Her hear skips a beat, Charles' words echoing in her mind.

_"If you happen to see Teach... Don't mention anything about Eleanor."_

Frowning, she shakes her head, hoping he wouldn't notice she was lying. "No... At least not that I'm aware of."

"And what is your relationship with my nephew?"

"I'm his ex-lover. We spent years without hearing from each other after I left the city. He was the one who found me when I escaped from the two monsters. I was passed out in an alley and he took care of me."

The man behind the desk nods, seeming to be deep in thought. "And the girl? They share the same father, of course."

Mary nods. "After leaving LA three years ago, I went to Nassau. Found a six year old child alone on the beach, late at night. It was Davina. Her mother died from an overdose. And she said that her father... Charles' father, had left them a few days prior."

Teach scoffs, hate and disgust filling his eyes. "Yes. That sounds just like him. Exactly like he left Naomi."

There's silence for a few moments and just as Mary starts to get anxious, a smile tugs at the man's lips. "That little girl has my nephew's eyes. And I can tell she also has his temper."

A frown comes to Mary's face. "How can you know that? You left him at the orphanage as a newborn..."

He's speechless for only a second. "Yes, but back then I could already see he had a really strong personality. During the first month of his life, the boy stayed under my care. That's more than enough time to notice stuff about a baby's personality."

She nods slowly. Something tells her there's more to this story... A lot more.

But she knows better than to challenge Teach.

"What else can you tell me about my boy, Read?"

"Well, he... Has a strong personality. You're right about that. He's the leader of a criminal trio. They're pretty much unstoppable. Jack, Anne and him make a pretty amazing team. Best I've ever seen."

The man chuckles briefly at the mention of the two names, nodding in an almost imperceptible way. "He's... ruthless. Not afraid to kill, to throw himself into dangerous situations. I've seen him covered in blood quite a few times. I remember this night... He came to me badly injured, a gunshot on his shoulder. As stubborn as he is, he knew he needed help. Anne and Jack were away. So he sought me out. I pulled the bullet out myself, and he hardly even flinched. It always creeped me out a little bit, how resistant to pain he is. So cold blooded... It's crazy, really. I watched over him for a while that night, and in his sleep..."

Mary trails off, frowning as new memories from that night suddenly resurfaced.

She remembers laying there in bed, drinking from a bottle of rum and watching Charles... His sleep was so restless, blood soaking through the bandage on his shoulder. The gunshot was obviously causing him so much pain. He was burning up, and Mary was worried since his fever only got worse with each passing hour. The criminal was sweating, and soon, he began saying something in his sleep...

_A name._

It was heartbreaking to see him like that. The great, fearless and strong Charles, laying in bed shirtless with a blood stained bandage on his injured shoulder, the pain and the fever making him delirious as he kept calling a name over and over again, like this person was the only one who could possibly offer him some sort of comfort... like he  _needed_  her.

He sounded so desperate, so helpless... Calling out for a woman...

_Eleanor._

Mary had never seen him like that.

And when she tried to wipe away some of the sweat on his forehead, he jerked awake, extremely confused, looking around, as if looking for someone.

How come she didn't remember this sooner?

This was four years ago. Jack told her that Charles and Eleanor only met recently... not even a year ago.

This makes no sense.

There's definitely something very, very weird going on here...

"Read?"

She comes back from her thoughts, meeting Teach's eyes again. "Sorry... Uh, as I was saying, he kept calling a woman's name in his restless sleep, but... he was kinda delirious, the pain was too bad and he had an awful fever too. So I guess that's not important. Look, I really want to take my girl to get some rest-"

"Who was he calling for?"

"I... couldn't really understand what he was saying, sir. I'm sorry. I just know it sounded like a woman's name."

He watches her face for a moment before nodding. "Alright. You're dismissed."

Mary thanks him quietly, hurrying out of the room.

With a heavy sigh, Teach rubs his forehead.

He knows very well whose name his nephew had been calling that night.

And it makes him furious.

He had hoped this... this  _curse_  had not followed Charles into this new life, he had hoped his boy was free from that witch...

But obviously, that was not the case.

Now he just hopes his nephew will show up here soon. Obviously, he recovered his memories too...

And hopefully, Jack and Anne are the only people he found again in this new life.

Hopefully this cruel, sadistic thing called fate didn't throw the Guthrie bitch into his path once more.

* * *

_**Los Angeles** _

"You see? I told you! I told you it was only a matter of time before  _this_  happened again!"

Anne is seething with anger while her partner reads the news.

Eleanor is engaged to the governor. Again.

"You think he knows already?" The redhead asks and Jack rubs his forehead with a tired sigh. When their leader finds out about this...

Just to think about Charles' reaction makes him want to hide under a rock and not come out for the next few... centuries.

"Probably not. Or else we would have already heard about a murder... Or two, or... dozens."

"She's the reason we stayed, and now she does this. I'm gonna kill that blonde bitch-"

The front door opens and Jack grimaces at the sight of their leader, mentally preparing himself for the chaos that would surely ensue.

"Did you hear?" He asks, but any other words he might have said die in his throat when someone else appears at the doorway.

She's clearly nervous as hell, while at the same time keeping her chin raised in a show of courage. As always.

And Charles is holding her hand.

The four people watch each other in silence for a moment before Anne suddenly scoffs in disbelief. "You!"

In the blink of an eye, the scene changes completely.

The redhead grabs her knife from the table, a savage glint in her eyes while their leader quickly pulls Eleanor behind his body, shielding her and pulling out his gun.

Jack's eyes widen and he somehow manages to grab his partner's arms, using all his strength to keep her from taking any steps closer to the door while she screamed at him and the blonde.

Charles' voice is like thunder when he speaks in an authoritative, loud tone.

"I dont wanna hurt you, Anne, but if I have to, I will!"

His words do nothing to calm the little brute's temper and he knows they need to act quickly, before she breaks free from Jack's grasp.

So he grabs a hold of Eleanor's arm, guiding her to the door of his room, careful not to get too close to the extremely angry redhead as she fought against her partner's hold.

"Lock the door. No matter what you hear, only unlock it when I say you can." He says, pushing Eleanor inside his room and slamming the door shut.

Just as the sound of the key turning reaches his ears, Anne breaks free and immediately takes off running towards him, knife in hand and a murderous look on her face.

He wastes no time, pointing the gun at her while standing in front of the door to his room like a knight protecting his princess. Seeing this, the redhead stops in her tracks, scowling at the gun as if trying to determine if he would actually be capable...

"Anne, he'll do it. You know he will." Jack's voice is filled with anxiety as he watches the two apprehensively. "Darling, please... Don't make him shoot you. Please... For me?"

She clenches her jaw, glancing back at her partner's pleading eyes, the seconds dragging by...

Until she finally throws the knife to the floor, storming over to the other room and disappearing behind the curtain.

Charles relaxes, lowering the gun but still keeping it in his hand.

The criminal scoffs upon seeing the judgmental look on Jack's face. "You'd kill to keep Anne safe too. So no, you don't get to judge me for this." He turns around, facing the door of his room. "Keep her in line. You know full well what happens to people who threaten Eleanor's safety. I don't give a damn if it's an enemy or an ally. They all meet the same end."

Knocking once on the door, he speaks in a still harsh, cold tone. "Open up."

The blonde immediately unlocks the heavy door and he quickly goes inside, closing it behind him.

After taking the key from her hand and locking the door again, the criminal walks over to his bed with a heavy sigh, leaving his gun on the bedside table... within his reach. In case there was an emergency.

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to bring me here."

He scoffs, sitting on the mattress. "It had to happen, sooner or later."

They watch each other in silence until Charles scowls, gesturing for her to come closer. "Get away from that damn door and stay near me."

She smirks, obeying and laying down on the bed, eyes sparkling with amusement and mischief. "Does it make you uneasy, Captain? When I'm not close to you and you can't protect me?"

As usual, saying the title has the desired effect. She watches in satisfaction as his eyes darken.

In a second he's kissing her, and she takes a moment to just enjoy doing this again, here in the safety of the hideout. Away from the mansion... Away from her prison.

This list is growing...

Charles is her freedom. Her Guardian Angel. Her home. Her remedy. Her clarity.

Will she ever be able to admit all of this out loud? To him?

Does she want to?

For now, all that matters is that she's admitting it to herself.

Her hands run over his back and the blonde revels in the feeling of the leather under her fingers while the criminal kisses her collarbone.

"I was so sick of those stupid coats and business suits. Missed the leather." She admits quietly, causing him to chuckle and look up at her. Her hands come to his hair. "Missed the long hair. When I was... with him, it felt so weird..."

Tugging at his hair, she smiles softly. "Missed you."

Giving him no time to react to her words, Eleanor kisses him again, not wanting him to see too much of the pain in her eyes.

She soon feels him smirk against her lips, knowing she was in trouble as the criminal pulled away, watching her face closely

"What else did you miss?"

Her eyes flicker down to his lips for a split second.

But he notices. Of course he notices.

The criminal raises an eyebrow at her, a smug smirk coming to his face. "I see."

Her eyes fall closed for a moment as he kisses his way down to her stomach, stopping briefly to look up at her face with a half smirk. "Guess I have to make up for that night at the back of the Demeter, right?"

Her breath catches, that sinful, grave voice sending a shiver down her spine while he works on undressing her from the waist down. She helps him too, pulling her shirt over her head with some difficulty, her shaky hands not really cooperating.

He drops a kiss to her left knee, keeping his eyes locked with hers as his lips moved closer and closer to where she needed him the most, the blonde breathing heavily in anticipation. And when he's almost there, a mere inch away, the bastard pulls away to repeat the process with her other leg.

She gives him a murderous look and he tries not to smirk at the sight, leaving kisses and bites on the skin of her inner thighs and refusing to reach his destination.

She can't take this anymore.

"Please..." The word escapes her lips in a whisper, almost against her will, her heart beating even faster when Charles looks up at her face with an intense, predatory look in his eyes.

"Please what?"

She immediately shakes her head, knowing full well what he was trying to do here and refusing to say what he wanted to hear.

So he refuses to give her what she wants too.

With a clenched jaw, Eleanor lets her head drop back to the pillows, trying hard to ignore the ache between her thighs while the criminal continued to tease her mercilessly.

It's a battle. Soon he won't be able to resist, she won't give him what he wants, her mind keeps telling her that she can win this...

Her body seems to have other ideas though.

A quiet whimper leaves her lips and both her hands grasp at the sheets, her heart beating wildly.

_She can win, she can..._

In a few minutes he has her squirming, breathing heavily, desire written all over her face, her self control vanishing.

"Please what, Eleanor?" He tries again and she lets out a shuddering breath before speaking in a quiet voice.

"Please Captain."

It's barely a whisper. But he seems to be satisfied.

Her eyes roll back in her head, a long moan leaving her lips when he finally, finally gives her what she wants, what she  _needs._

This is one of the times she could swear this man knows how to read her mind.

It's crazy, how he knows exactly what to do, how he knows what she wants. Everything he does is perfectly timed.

And God, that  _beard._

It would leave her with burn marks all over her inner thighs the next morning. But she doesn't give a damn.

The blonde glances at the engagement ring on her finger, only remembering it now. Deep down, part of her suddenly wishes Woodes would break into this room right now and see them like this. She has no idea where this weird thought comes from, but it's gone soon.

Her pirate's talented, sinful tongue drives all thoughts of her ex-husband away from her mind.

There's only  _him,_  he's all she can think about, his name is the only one she can say, there's nothing but him and all the pleasure he's giving her.

And when he makes her fall over the edge, in less than a couple of minutes, she feels frustrated and angry with herself. But also so damn satisfied. The pleasure is too strong, it drowns out these emotions.

Especially when he quickly sheds his clothes and kisses her, letting her taste herself on his tongue. A whimper sounds at the back of her throat when he enters her abruptly without even giving her time to recover.

And she absolutely loves it.

"Now, was that so hard?" There's a smug look in his eyes as they lock with hers.

"Stop talking."

He'll never let her get away with what she said just few minutes ago. Eleanor sees it in his eyes.

But for now, she doesn't care.

The blonde thought she would feel strange, uncomfortable with this show of submission, but it actually only turned her on even more.

And hell, does she plan to make him pay in the same coin sooner or later...

Two can play at this game.

Charles sees the wicked glint in her eyes as she thinks about this and she smirks, locking her hands behind his neck. The cold engagement ring touches his hot skin, causing the criminal to let out a growl of annoyance. One of his hands moves from its place right beside her head and he grabs her left wrist, quickly freeing her from the stupid tight ring, a little bit more violently than necessary.

Reveling in her sigh of relief, he throws the offending engagement ring over his shoulder, neither of them caring to look where it would land, too lost in each other to worry about anything else.

The criminal's movements are slow as he brings her bruised finger to his lips, dropping a kiss to the angry red mark, blue eyes locked with her green ones.

And instead of letting her hand go back to its previous spot behind his neck, he pins it to the bed, close to her head, before doing the same thing with the other one.

The blonde narrows her eyes at him, a frustrated noise escaping her lips while she fights, desperately trying to break free from his restraining grip as he mercilessly picked up the pace of his thrusts.

She just wants to be able to touch him, but this feels so good...

What's going on with her?

Is it possible that even after this whole time Charles is still showing her new parts of herself that she had no idea existed?

Faintly, they hear Anne complaining from the other room before she breaks something, the sound of glass smashing reaching their ears.

Only then the pair notices just how much noise they were making.

But this doesn't stop them. Charles simply glances at the bedside table for a moment, making sure his gun was still within his reach before focusing his attention back on Eleanor.

His hands are still pinning her wrists to the mattress, much to her annoyance and pleasure. She digs her nails into the skin of her palms, a breathy gasp escaping her as the criminal picked up his pace again, setting a brutal rhythm that made her see stars.

A smirk comes to his lips when she squeezes her eyes shut. The sight is just so perfect.

She's completely at his mercy, and clearly  _enjoying_  it. A lot.

Her mouth is parted and he can't get enough of her sweet gasps and moans, leaning in to speak right next to her ear, wanting to tease her even more.

"Doubt the governor could do this."

His own voice is rough with desire and her eyes snap open while she shakes her head immediately, much to his satisfaction. "Never. You. Always you."

Such honesty from her still catches him off guard.

But Charles is definitely not complaining.

Just as they hear a faint "Oh, for God's sake!" from Jack in the other room, the criminal finally finds his release, his sinful groan right next to Eleanor's ear causing her to fall over the edge for a second time too.

As silence returns to the room, he slowly lets go of her wrists, checking to see if they weren't hurt before laying on his back, trying to catch his breath and staring up at the ceiling.

A soft smile plays on the blonde's lips while she steals a glance at her pirate, enjoying this wonderful moment.

They think they hear a quiet "Finally" from the other room but pay it no mind.

"Can I stay?" Eleanor asks after a few minutes of calm, blissful silence and Charles nods once.

"I'm sure it's not better than the governor's bed, but..." He pats the mattress with a shrug and she frowns, sitting up in bed.

"Are you ever gonna let this go?"

He merely keeps watching her but one of his hands moves to the back of her neck, caressing her hair for a second before he runs his fingers down her spine, making her shiver.

"And it actually is better. Believe me." She says in a quiet voice, glancing down at him and a smug smirk tugs at his lips.

"Glad to hear that."

Giving him a soft, unguarded smile, she lays back down on the mattress, sighing softly when he wraps his arms around her, holding her close.

"It's so much better."

* * *

A couple hours later, when Eleanor is sound asleep the criminal carefully gets out of bed, doing his best not to wake her up. While pulling on his pants, he watches her naked body, a soft half smile refusing to leave his lips. She's such a perfection... Her beauty always has him entranced.

With a sigh, he averts his eyes and unlocks the door, taking a look around and making sure Anne wasn't awake before walking over to the fridge to retrieve a water bottle.

Noise coming from the direction of his accomplices' room makes his blood run cold and Charles immediately turns around, ready to run back to his room before Anne could reach it.

He relaxes once he sees Jack's worried, tired face instead of the angry redhead though.

"She's asleep. Don't worry." His friend says, rubbing his face with a heavy sigh and walking closer.

"What do you want?" His voice is rough. He just wants to go back to his room and fall asleep while holding the naked blonde in his arms. But his accomplice clearly has something to say.

"I just... There's something you should know, Charles. I think she's been lying to you. She's... engaged to the governor. Again."

"I know."

A confused frown comes to Jack's face. He was probably expecting a huge rage fit instead of this simple answer.

"You... You know. And what exactly are you doing? I expected you to just cut her off your life again-"

"She's not doing this because she wants to, Jack. It's all just an act. She's just playing the governor. Accepting his proposal was nothing but a scheme to keep him from trapping her in his mansion. She's buying time before finding a permanent solution."

Jack shakes his head, choosing his next words carefully. "Are you sure that you're not the one who's being deceived instead of Rogers? How can you know if this-" He gestures to the door of his leader's room and at the red nail marks on his leader's shoulder. "...isn't just an act?"

"Because I know Eleanor." A warning look comes to his sea blue eyes. "She's different now, Jack. She's opening up to me about everything. I can see she deeply regrets what she did. Of course I haven't discarded the possibility of another betrayal yet, but...  _this_  isn't one. She's being honest-"

"Charles." His friend interrupts, rubbing his forehead. "Is this your brain or your heart talking?"

_Both._

Jack sighs heavily at his silence. "I can't believe you're doing this again... Seeing her problems as yours too, helping her after everything that happened. I thought you were smarter than this."

"You really expect me to sit by and do nothing?" He asks in a harsh voice, a dangerous look in his eyes. "I won't let anyone hurt her, Jack. Especially not her shit of a father and the stupid governor."

The criminal walks to the door of his room, letting his accomplice see the nail marks all over his back. "We're done with this conversation. Eleanor is my problem, not yours. And I don't want to hear another word about this situation. You've been warned. Make sure you deliver this message to Anne too."

Not giving him a chance to reply, Charles goes back inside his bedroom, closing and locking the door behind him. He can't help feeling extremely relieved at the sight of Eleanor still sleeping on his bed, safe and sound.

But a frown comes to his face when she scowls softly in her sleep, starting to squirm, whimper and mumble unintelligibly.

After quickly discarding his pants again, he lays down beside the distressed blonde, pulling her into his embrace.

This causes her to wake up with a sharp intake of breath, immediately looking up at his face while he caressed her naked back soothingly.

"Go back to sleep. I'm here."

She stares at him with sleepy eyes for a moment before nodding softly and hiding her face into his chest, quickly falling asleep again.

Her peace is short lived though.

Soon she's whimpering and flinching in his arms, and this is unsettling.

What's going on? His presence is usually enough to keep the nightmares away...

Soon, the blonde breaks free from his embrace, shooting up in bed and waking up screaming, her hand grasping at her stomach.

Just where her birthmark is located.

Knowing exactly what the nightmare had been about, Charles sits up, holding her in his arms again and laying back down.

"Shh. It's okay. You're safe. I'm here."

She takes a shuddering breath, tears glinting in her horror-filled eyes.

"It was about your death, wasn't it?"

Nodding, Eleanor looks up at his face. And he sees it in her eyes as she makes the decision.

"I trust you already know about all the shit that went down when... you were gone. Right?"

He nods. "More or less. Jack, Anne and Max already told me. One of the first things I did after the memories came back was to ask them what happened to Nassau after my death."

His words send a fresh wave of affection straight to her heart. Seeing how worried he was about their home... Even though she always knew.

It just makes her love him even more.

Taking a deep breath and gathering some courage, she speaks again. "I see. Well... The invasion, it... was devastating. Completely devastating. The only safe place was the fort. And of course..."

"...you weren't there."

"Exactly... We took refuge at Miranda's house. Some Spanish scouts approached it, only to be killed by Flint and the men. But three of them managed to escape. He left two men behind to protect Madi and I, then left to chase those bastards."

She pauses, taking another deep breath and trying to contain her tears. Her heart is beating wildly and the criminal squeezes her hand in silent support.

"What happened next? Who killed you? If the Spaniards were all dead, then who-"

"That's what we thought, yes... But... the thing is, one of them survived."

Charles' blood runs cold and he subconsciously holds her closer, tighter, wanting her to feel protected... And also to calm his nerves. This may be hard for her to talk about, but it's also tough for him to listen.

Of course he knew it wouldn't be easy. But he wasn't expecting it to be so damn painful and hard.

"The bastard killed the two men standing guard and made his way inside the house. He attacked us, knocked Madi unconscious. I knew I had to protect her, so I fought him-"

"You fought?" There's a hint of disbelief in his voice. She doesn't fail to recognize the pride either.

"I did. As best as I could. It was brutal, but I managed to succeed for a while... Until he slashed my stomach."

His fingers trace her birthmark. Charles has no idea who this man was, but oh, how he wishes he could torture the fucker for days before finally killing him.

"And then?"

She takes a shuddering breath, one hot tear falling to the skin of his chest. "I was in so much pain. I knew the wound was fatal, but I didn't give up. I... smashed an oil flash over his head. Set him on fire."

She's crying by now, and pride swells in his chest, despite the pain and anger taking him over. He always knew there was a fighter in her.

She could have made a really good pirate.

Except for the fact that his stubborn lady Honeypot couldn't take orders from anyone.

So maybe... She could have been a pretty damn good pirate queen.

_His_  pirate queen.

What a dream life that would have been...

Everything he loves... Freedom. Adventure. His ship. The open sea. Eleanor.

There at the captain's quarters with him every night...

_Maybe they can still have this?_

"I tried... I tried to save Madi. But I simply didn't have the strength, I... escaped the house as it caught fire."

Suddenly a low growl leaves his lips and she meets his eyes. "What is it?"

"This was Flint's fault. He should have checked if those bastards were all really dead before leaving, he should-"

"Stop." Her tone is harsh and there's a stern look in her tear-filled eyes. "Don't you dare blaming him. It wasn't his fault, everything happened so fast and he did the best he could, besides... He did something for me."

"What?"

"When I made it out of the house, he arrived. He held me while I died. It was my only source of comfort, I was so fucking scared... But he made it better. I asked if it was Rogers' fault... He said it wasn't, but... today I'm pretty sure he said that just to... make me feel better."

Charles is suddenly taken by a wave of gratitude for Flint, all the anger from earlier vanishing. Thanks to the man, the woman he loves didn't die alone. He offered her comfort during her extremely painful last moments of life.

Where is he? Did he come back at all?

If they're ever face to face again, the criminal must at least try to thank Flint for what he did.

"The pain wasn't just physical." She says quietly and he sighs, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I know."

"The regret hurt so much more than the wound on my stomach."

"I know. It's okay. You don't need to say anything else, I'm satisfied."

Her eyes fill with disbelief before she nods, hiding her face into his chest.

"Thank you..." It's barely audible. But he hears it.

Silence stretches and just when he thinks she has fallen asleep again, the blonde speaks in a hesitant tone. "Can I ask you something? After I gave away your ship... Where did you go? You were hurt when you came back... What happened to you?"

He sighs heavily, and Eleanor wonders if she touched a sore spot.

But soon, he proceeds to tell her all about that dark time.

And when she hears about how he was buried alive, her heart almost stops. She shudders, not liking this thought at all.

"It's in the past." He says, wanting to reassure her while she tries to move impossibly closer, enjoying the feeling of his firm, warm chest under her fingers.

"Why does it never feel close enough?" She mutters and Charles frowns, glancing down at her.

"What?"

She meets his eyes, hesitating for a moment before sighing and speaking just a bit louder.

"Never feels close enough..."

A half smirk comes to his face and he kisses her briefly.

"I know."

There's peaceful silence for another few minutes until Eleanor shakes her head, surprising the criminal once more when she begins to open up about something else.

"There was this time, when Woodes... woke me up in the middle of the night and he was so angry. When I asked what was wrong, he said I was calling your name in my sleep." She says, absentmindedly drawing patterns on his exposed chest with her fingers.

"And what did he do?" Charles asks and feels her stiffen in his arms, rage already filling him.

"He was desperate to drive you away from my mind. I think you can imagine."

"Did he force you?"

She shrugs, trying to hide how painful this conversation is for her.

But as always, he sees right through her.

"Things with him... It wasn't the way it was with you... The way it is with you, I mean. I don't know, it just... wasn't the same."

Both are lost in thought for a few moments until he speaks. "If you're in my bed instead of his right now, I take it's better with me."

She chuckles lightly.

"You're quite perceptive." The blonde bites her lower lip for a moment before giving in and kissing him. "But yes. It's better with you."

"Please. As if I didn't know that already."

She lets out a soft laugh, the beautiful sound making him smile. This is so much better than seeing her in tears.

"Smug idiot."

Her smile drops, sadness filling her eyes once more.

"In that moment, I just... You have no idea how much I wished I could hear your voice. Feel your touch. There was something I couldn't tell Woodes... I was lost without you there... only living a lie."

He scowls softly, wanting to comfort her while at the same time wanting to hear what else she had to say.

"I craved for your voice. All I wanted was to hear it again. I missed it so much, it hurt. It hurt like hell."

Tears are glinting in her eyes, her lower lip trembling slightly for a second, and he pulls her impossibly closer with a sigh before speaking, his lips right next to her ear. "It's okay."

He feels a tear falling to his skin and his hand caresses her naked back. "Eleanor. It's okay. You said you missed my voice. How about I keep speaking until you fall asleep?"

She nods immediately, humming in approval, her heart swelling with affection and happiness. This was all she wanted three centuries ago.

"What do you want me to say?"

"You can say a fucking cake recipe for all I care... I just need to hear your voice."

"You are so going to regret all of this in the morning."

She scoffs, propping herself up on an elbow to stare at his face.

"Charles, don't you understand? I don't give a fuck. It's been three centuries of regret and pain. I'm ready to move on."

Her revelation stuns them both.

What does this mean?

Is she saying she's ready to leave this fucking place with him? To leave her father and the governor behind?

Clearing her throat, the blonde tries to act as if she didn't say anything, laying her head back on his chest. "You said... You would talk until I fell asleep."

The criminal nods, trying to think of something.

He ends up telling her stories about his and his accomplices' first robberies, as well as stories he had already told before, during their past lives. About his journeys. His adventures and battles at sea. He still remembers perfectly which tales were her favorites ones.

It seems to soothe her a lot.

Almost two hours later, she finally speaks in a sleepy voice, barely awake. "Three hundred years later, and you're still my favorite storyteller..."

He nods, a half smirk on his lips as he presses a kiss to her forehead, not really caring about trying to stop himself.

"Three hundred years later, and I'm still in love with you."

Feeling her smile softly against the skin of his chest, Charles almost regrets what he just said.

But then her quiet voice reaches his ears. "And I with you."

His heart skips a beat, the smile on his lips widening.

While the blonde finally falls asleep to the sound of his heart beating reassuringly, he says something in her ear.

"I'm glad to know that, lady Honeypot. I'm glad."


	45. Love Vows, Animals and Babies

"Will you tell me what's going on inside this mind of yours?" Sarah's voice cuts the silence and she looks at her ex-husband as they lay in her bed.

He sighs, faking a smirk. "What do you mean by that, love?"

"You know what I mean. I can't recognize you sometimes. You look like you're... going crazy. Ever since you met that girl."

The look on his face becomes slightly hostile. "'That girl' is my future wife. What are you so worried about? You know I won't stop seeing you after I marry Eleanor."

"I'm not worried... It's just bugging me, to see you acting like this-"

"I'm not acting any differently. Now drop it, or I swear I'll think again about how easily I forgave you for losing Davina."

She falls silent, clenching her jaw.

"I don't know why you keep coming here, Woodes... Or why I even let you."

"You know why I left you."

Tears burn in her eyes. "Because I can't have children."

He smirks, patting her hand and grabbing his phone to check the hour.

"Correct. You can't give me an heir. If it wasn't for that, I would still be with you, darling, but unfortunately..." The man grimaces, getting to his feet and dressing in silence, causing his ex-wife to frown. She had hoped he would stay for a little while longer.

"Got to run. Or I'll be late." He looks at her full length mirror, fixing his hair and doing his best to smooth any wrinkles on the shirt beneath the suit jacket.

"Where you going?"

"Dance practice with my fiancée. For the wedding. Mason's meeting me there."

She scoffs with a shake of her head while her ex-husband makes his way back to the bed, giving her a quick, meaningless kiss.

"See you later, darling."

When he leaves the room, Sarah lets her head drop back to the pillow with a heavy sigh. "So much for trying to warn this girl."

* * *

Mason is watching her closely while Eleanor touches the engagement ring on her finger. She really didn't want to be here.

The blonde can't stop praying for the next couple of hours to pass quickly, for the night to come soon, so she can enjoy being in her pirate's arms again, to let him wash Woodes' touch away from her body.

Fate really works in a funny way.

Looking around the mansion's ballroom, she's once again surprised to see just how foreign her own home feels now. This looks like a strange, unfamiliar place.

Eleanor doesn't feel safe nor comfortable in here.

When exactly did this happen? When did things change so much?

Was it after she started to make amends with Charles, or after the horrible things her father said that night?

"Sorry I'm late. Was taking care of a few problems."

The blonde has to take a deep breath and count to ten in order to keep herself from rolling her eyes at the sound of this insufferable voice.

That's another mystery. When exactly did she begin to loathe Woodes' voice?

The first thing he does is to glance down at her fingers, to make sure she's wearing the engagement ring. Her blood runs cold for a moment. Did she remember to put it on again after Charles left her room this morning?

The fear is short lived.

"I will never get enough of admiring how beautiful you look with this ring on, darling." The arrogant idiot says and she forces a smile.

"Where were you?"

"Just taking care of some stuff. It's boring, you don't want to know."

That sickening smile doesn't leave the man's face for a moment but he's hiding something... she just knows it.

As the song of their choice begins to play, she tries hard not to shudder when his hands touch her body, the expensive cologne making her sick.

Idelle would laugh so hard if she saw this. The two of them dancing to " _All I Ask of You_ ".

"I got this, love. Let me guide you." He says when she tries to take the lead and the blonde clenches her jaw, fully aware of her father and Mason watching her every move as they talked near one of the columns.

Suddenly this song seems so damn long.

Looking up at his face, she frowns upon seeing the slightly hostile glint in his eyes.

He's quick to hide it though, forcing a smile.

This is really starting to make her uneasy.

"Lately... You've been acting weird. Almost as if you're angry with me for some reason. What's going on?"

He spins her around smoothly with practiced ease before pulling her to him again, a dark look flickering in his eyes, his little smile vanishing.

"I feel like you have been... hiding something from me, love."

Her heart speeds up. This is getting even more uncomfortable. "Like what?"

"Something big... I don't know."

_Shit._  There's definitely suspicion in his eyes.

Was Mrs. Hudson still watching her? Did she see her with Charles?

Did she tell Woodes?

A million thoughts run through her mind and Eleanor frowns, trying to look as innocent as she possibly could.

"Must be just your imagination... Maybe because I accepted the proposal after pushing you away for such a long time? And now you can't believe that I'm..." She trails off. This is just so sickening.

The possessive look in his eyes says everything. She doesn't need to know how to read minds to know what he's thinking, almost able to hear him saying the word out loud.

_Mine._

Absolutely sickening.

The beautiful song only makes her want to vomit even more, the lyrics conjuring disturbing images in her mind.

_"Share each day with me, each night, each morning..."_

Why the hell did she agree with this?

At least it's almost over.

But much to her despair, her father insists to see the dance again.

And again, and again.

She's lucky one of her guardian angels is able to come into the mansion during daytime.

Relief washes over Eleanor when she glances at the entrance of the ballroom and sees Max, looking at the dancing couple with a disgusted look on her face, just as the song ends for the fifth time.

"Excuse me." The blonde mutters, stepping away from her fiancée and rushing to meet her savior, ignoring the hard look from Richard.

"What is it?"

Max clears her throat, trying not to look at the three men watching her as if she was an intruder.

"I need to talk to you, something happened." She whispers, not wanting the other people in the room to hear, and Eleanor frowns.

"Just a second."

Making her way back to the three men, she forces an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I have to go. Max and I need to talk about something."

Richard rolls his eyes, sighing heavily. "Is that woman more important than your own wedding?"

_Far more important._

"It's not just that, I have a terrible headache, and I'm feeling sick... exhausted. Must be stress. Excuse me."

Pretending she didn't see the way Woodes tried to reach for her hand, the blonde quickly makes her way back to Max, letting her grab her hand as they disappear behind the wall, heading back to her room.

"Sickness and exhaustion..." Mason trails off, looking at the other two men.

"Will we need to expedite the wedding? Is there a possibility that my first grandchild is coming sooner than I expected?" Richard asks, glancing at his daughter's fiancée with a half-smile.

But Woodes shakes his head with a clenched jaw. "If there is, it's not my child, Sir."

The little smile instantly drops from the older man's face. "You think the criminal may have..."

"Gotten her pregnant? I hope not. But in case he did, don't worry. I'll find out soon enough for us to... take care of the little pest without endangering Eleanor's life."

Mason smirks at his younger brother's words, clearly proud of him, while Richard sighs with a frown. "What if she doesn't want to have an abortion?"

Woodes simply raises an eyebrow. "As if she would have a say in the matter."

Richard finally smirks too, nodding once. "I like the way you think."

"For a moment, I was worried you might be disapproving of this, Sir."

"I do not want any bastard children in this family. It's already sickening enough to think my daughter has more than likely slept with a... filthy criminal. But to have her carrying his child, no, that is too much."

Mason finally joins in the conversation. "Personally, I think you two are getting too ahead of yourselves. Eleanor was probably just making up excuses to leave with that other woman."

"I know that, brother. And I wish we could say that there are not any possibilities of my fiancée being pregnant with the criminal's child right now. However, unfortunately, we all know that's not the case. And I want to somehow make sure there isn't a filthy little demon growing inside her right now."

"Do whatever you must to find out, you have my permission." Richard says, rubbing his forehead with a haunted look in his eyes. "Any progresses with Low? Did he say anything else about the man my daughter is involved with?"

"Not yet, but... Mason and I are going to see him in two days, and well... We are preparing a few surprises for Low."

"What sort of surprises?"

Woodes lets out a brief chuckle. "Let's just say that... It will make him talk. I assure you, Sir. In two days, I will have the name of this... animal who's been luring your daughter."

* * *

"Was it true? Are you feeling sick?" Max asks her with a worried look as they make their way inside Eleanor's bedroom.

The blonde scoffs, shaking her head. "Please. You know me."

Chuckling softly, the other woman follows her to the bed.

"What happened, is it bad?" The Trading Company's heir asks as they sit on the mattress, not sure if she could deal with any more stress and problems.

"Sort of, I don't know... Mary sent me a message last night. A really long one."

Eleanor is instantly alarmed. "Is it Davina? Did something happen to Charles' sister?"

Smiling softly at her concern for the girl, Max shakes her head. "Don't worry. Your little sister in law is perfectly safe." She winks at the blonde, ignoring her eye roll. "It's just... Well, here's my phone, see for yourself."

Eleanor takes the phone from her friend's hand, hesitating for a moment before starting to read the message.

_"Max, just letting you know we got back to Somalia safely a few days ago. Everything's fine and Davina misses you all. She sends her love to Eleanor and Charles, but also asks a lot about you, Anne and Jack. We hope to see you all again, soon. But there's something I need to talk to you about. As soon as we arrived, Teach demanded to see us. He asked about the monsters who captured me and Davina, and ended up finding out about her relation to Charles. He asked if his nephew was involved with a blonde woman. I said I didn't think so. Before I left for Somalia, Charles told me not to mention anything about Eleanor, not to let Teach know about her. Do you happen to know why he did this? I just feel like there's something weird going on, Max. Like there's more to this whole story, a lot more... And that's not all. Recently I remembered something about my time with Charles, back when we were lovers. One night he came to me with a gunshot on his shoulder, and after I pulled the bullet out and bandaged his wound, he slept. I watched him during that night. He had a really bad fever, the pain made him delirious and he kept calling out for someone in his sleep. He was so desperate. The name called was Eleanor's. The thing is, Jack told me he only met the stubborn blonde a few a few months ago. So what the hell is going on? I sincerely hope you can answer me, because this is really bugging me. Also, warn Charles about Teach if he plans to bring Eleanor with him when he finally comes to Somalia. Because it doesn't look like the man will be too welcoming, and I honestly fear for her safety if he sees her."_

Giving the phone back to her friend, Eleanor leans against the bed's headboard with a heavy sigh, closing her eyes.

"What do you think we should do?" Max asks, watching her closely.

"It's not like we can tell her the truth. She would think we're all crazy. But truly... This is the least of my worries now." The blonde shakes her head, opening her pain-filled eyes. "Fate really does like to make me suffer."

The other woman frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I've been... starting to consider the idea of leaving here. With Charles."

Max's eyes light up, a bright smile coming to her face. "Really?"

Eleanor nods before scoffing and rubbing her forehead.

"But now, how can I? If we leave, he will eventually want to go see Teach. What happens then? What happens to me?"

"Oh, please. Are you seriously worried about this? You know Vane will keep you safe, you know he would never let anyone hurt you!"

"He would try to protect me, I have no doubt of that, but... I don't know if I'm willing to simply rely on trust and faith... To risk my life like this. What if he's unable to keep me safe?"

"He will be... Just trust him. I didn't know you two had made such great advances."

A stubborn little smile comes to Eleanor's lips. "I told him I love him the other day. But I wasn't thinking clearly..."

The other woman can't stop smiling. "Finally... God, I am loving this so much."

"It was a one time thing. Won't happen again."

Max shakes her head, opening her mouth to speak, but the blonde interrupts her. "Copy Mary's message and send it to me, please."

"Why?"

"Because Charles is coming here tonight, and I want him to see it." Eleanor gets to her feet, heading to her closet. "I'm going out for a run... a long one. Need to distract myself. Want to come with me?"

Her friend lets out a heavy sigh, sending Mary's message to her. "Yeah. Of course."

* * *

It's close to 10 p.m. and Eleanor is sitting in bed, nervously playing with the hem of her nightgown while staring at the flat screen of her room's TV.

Each minute feels like an eternity, a million thoughts running through her mind.

She's unable to contain her smile when noise comes from the direction of her balcony.

And when the criminal steps inside her room, he barely has time to close the glass door behind him before she throws her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately.

Despite his surprise, his hands immediately pull her closer, thumbs caressing her waist through the thin fabric of the nightgown.

He teasingly captures her lower lip between his teeth for a moment before pulling away, eyes filled with desire. "What was that for?"

She shakes her head, unable to stop smiling, all the tension and the stress from the day seeming to vanish in the air now that her Captain was here.

"Just had a really crappy day. I needed it."

A half smirk comes to his lips and he tries kissing her again but she pulls away, struggling to take a few steps backwards. "Not so fast. I want to-"

"Why are you limping?" He cuts her off, the desire in his eyes being replaced by worry as he immediately closes the distance between them, lifting the hem of the nightgown to check her thighs for new cuts.

This makes her heart flutter.

"Went running with Max this afternoon, and I think I pushed my body too hard. My legs hurt like hell, everything feels awfully sore."

His eyes soften, a chuckle escaping his lips while she sits on the mattress, grimacing at the pain in her muscles.

"And what brought this on?"

She sighs heavily, reaching for the TV remote on her bedside table. "Can we just... watch something?"

Charles stares at her face in silent disbelief for a few moments. "You want to watch a movie with me."

"Well, yes... What's so wrong about it?"

He shakes his head with a smirk, kicking off his shoes before getting in bed with her. "Who would've ever known. What do you want to watch?"

This situation suddenly feels surreal even to Eleanor as she thinks about their options. Thunder sounds from outside, a storm beginning to fall and helping her make the decision. "I want a horror movie."

He scoffs. "Seriously?"

"What were you expecting?"

"Something a lot more boring, honestly."

The blonde narrows her eyes at him. "My tastes are not boring."

"Of course not." There's that infuriating little smile again. The one that always makes her want to murder him.

Or kiss him senseless.

Or both.

"What's with this choice? Something tells me this gender is not what you usually watch."

"I don't know, alright? Just felt like doing something different."

His eyes darken, the smile not disappearing as he reaches to brush her hair behind her ear. "If that's the case, then I'm sure we can find plenty of... 'different stuff' to do."

Taking the remote from her hands, he leans in with a predatory look in his eyes, nipping at the skin of her neck before bringing his lips to her ear and speaking in a low tone that makes goosebumps raise on her skin. "Stuff I'd be more than happy to show you."

Closing her eyes with a sigh while the criminal captures her earlobe between his teeth, Eleanor fights to recover her self-control.

"With how sore my whole body feels right now? Not gonna happen." She smirks, pushing him away and reaching for the remote again. "So if that's the only reason you came here tonight, well... maybe you should go back to the hideout. Because I just want to lay here under the covers watching a nice horror movie."

"We'll see about that." He reaches for her left hand, watching the engagement ring in silence.

"So, are you staying?"

Something flickers in his eyes as he looks at her face, but it's such an honest, meaningful look... Neither of them really wants to think too much about it.

They're not really ready to see just how deep their feelings for each other are.

So the criminal masks the look in his eyes with a playful, teasing smirk.

"Of course I'm staying. You need someone to cling to when the movie makes you scared."

She scoffs at his words. "In your dreams."

They end up watching Wrong Turn, and halfway through the movie Eleanor is already disgusted.

But the criminal challenged her to watch the whole thing, so...

"You can quit if you want. We'll find something else." That infuriating smirk refuses to leave his lips and she shakes her head.

"Nice try."

As the minutes pass, she slowly starts moving closer to Charles, hoping maybe he wouldn't notice. But a brief chuckle leaves his lips and he simply pulls her into his arms, getting under the covers with her. If feels like paradise and Eleanor can't contain her smile, bringing her left hand to rest on his chest.

Not taking his eyes off the screen, he slowly removes the engagement ring from her finger and sets it on the bedside table, a soft sigh of relief and satisfaction leaving her lips.

To her utter surprise, he brings his hand back to hers, caressing each one of her fingers softly, slowly, over and over again, his other hand massaging her shoulder and arm.

And even though she will never admit it out loud, the blonde feels better now. The room is dark, and the horror movie was starting to give her that weird, irrational feeling, that any moment something would crawl up into the bed and attack her.

But now, in Charles' embrace, she just feels as if nothing can possibly harm her.

"Want to watch the second one?" The criminal asks when the sickening movie comes to an end and Eleanor scowls.

"There's more?"

He nods. "A few. I watched it with Jack and Anne a while ago. You should have been there. Jack kept saying Anne and I were sick to watch this stuff without even feeling a little weird. He was pale and on edge the entire time."

She laughs. "I would have liked to see this."

"Anne hit him. He complained too much."

She smiles softly, suddenly realizing just how strong the bond between these three people is too.

Would it really be so awful to live with them?

It looks like Anne has given up on the whole murder idea now, from what Max told her during the afternoon, so...

"No more Wrong Turn. I'm with Jack. This is sick, I don't know how you and Anne can watch it, you two animals-"

She immediately stops talking and her eyes widen slightly as a painful memory from the past attacks her. Slowly meeting Charles' eyes, she's relieved to see there's no anger in them.

Just a hint of pain.

"It's okay."

She nods at his words, reaching for the remote.

As the storm gets worse outside, they begin to watch The Conjuring. Surprisingly, she finds the supernatural gender more frightening for some reason.

Every other minute Eleanor jumps slightly in his arms, not realizing how tightly she was holding the fabric of his shirt before it was too late.

The criminal chuckles briefly, causing her to roll her eyes. "Really? You are one of the most rational people I've ever met... How come you're more scared of ghosts and demons than a group of deformed cannibals in a forest?"

"I am  _not_  scared."

He's about to say a smart retort when her phone rings suddenly from the bedside table and the blonde frowns, reaching for it. Her jaw clenches as she stares at the screen.

"It's Woodes."

A low growl leaves Charles' lips. "Ignore him."

Eleanor shakes her head, a pleading look in her eyes. "If I do, he'll think there's something wrong and come check-

"Oh, I'm counting on that. Let him come. I'll be waiting for him."

"Charles. I mean it. I will answer the call now, and if you have any consideration for me, you will not do anything that may alarm him of your presence. Please."

Eyes locked with his, she hesitates for a moment before finally answering the call.

"Yes?"

"Darling, sorry about the hour. I was too busy. Just wanted to check up on you, are you feeling any better?"

She frowns, but then remembers her fake headache and sickness from earlier at the ballroom. "Yes, a little. As I said, must be the stress. Thank you for worrying."

She can see the anger in the criminal's eyes. He's close enough to be able to hear what her fiancée was saying on the other side of the line, and it seems he's not liking the conversation very much.

And things only get worse.

"In sickness and in health, my lady. We may not be married yet, but I already take these vows very seriously."

Charles clenches his jaw hard. It's clearly taking him an enormous amount of willpower not to take the phone from her hands and give the other man a piece of his mind.

Eleanor bites her lower lip for a second before pressing a kiss to his birthmark, hoping it will help calm him down a little.

"I see. Well, is there any other reason why you called?"

"Yes, actually. We need to start thinking about your dress. I know the best shop in the city, and I want you to take a look at it soon. You can take that friend of yours if you want. They have amazing dresses, you will love it. Money is not a problem."

Rubbing her forehead, she lays on her back, trying not to snap.

And suddenly the criminal's scowl fades away, a wicked half smirk coming to his lips. She stares at him in warning but it's no use.

Her eyes widen slightly in disbelief when he brings one of his hands to her thigh, flirting with the hem of the nightgown before his fingers venture higher, under the satin, teasingly slow, his eyes not leaving hers.

As the arrogant idiot continued to talk on the other side of the line, Eleanor stares at the man beside her in horror and anticipation, wanting him to stop while at the same time a glint in her eyes begs him to give her more.

And that's exactly what he does.

One of her hands fly up to cover her mouth when those clever fingers reach the apex of her thighs, unceremoniously slipping under her underwear.

As his fingers move against her,  _inside_  her, she has to bite her palm and her wrist to keep herself from making noise, but it's just so damn hard.

The criminal leans in to kiss and nip at her neck, and this feels so weird... doing this with Charles while hearing Woodes' voice.

But it's such a rush too. The danger of this situation only fuels her desire, and all she wants is to end the call already.

After almost a minute of this sweet torture, she finally decides to speak, not really paying attention to whatever bullshit her fiancée was talking about.

"Woodes." Her voice comes out a little breathier than she planned and the blonde clears her throat. "I'm really exhausted right now, so... We'll talk later. I'm going to bed."

Barely giving him time to tell her goodnight, she hangs up, letting the phone drop down to the mattress before hitting her pirate's chest.

"You're an idiot." He simply smirks at her distress, fingers not stopping as he leans in to kiss her.

Smiling into the kiss, the blonde lets her hands move under his shirt to feel the hard muscles of his abdomen before she starts to work on unbuttoning his jeans, causing him to pull away with a raised eyebrow. "What happened to 'My whole body feels too sore for this tonight'?"

She shrugs, unable to stop smiling at her pirate. "Guess I'll just have to deal with the fact that I'll be even more sore tomorrow."

"And will it be worth it?"

"Hell, yes."

An hour later, when they're laying under the covers, bodies sated and pressed close together, Charles drops a kiss to her forehead. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."

Eleanor scoffs, hiding her face in his neck.

"I hate you."

"I hate you too." There's so much amusement and affection in his voice. It makes her heart feel a lot lighter.

Their own twisted love vows.

And it's so much better than all the stupid vows Woodes was planning to say on their wedding day.

A day that will never come.

Never again.

This reassuring thought and their "love" vows make Eleanor fall asleep with a smile.

* * *

**Two days later**

Checking one last time if his robber's mask was safely secured, Charles takes a look around the dark alley, making sure there were no cameras nearby while Jack picked the lock of the store's back door.

Once the door is unlocked, he shares a nod with his accomplice and they carefully go inside. Knowing there was no alarm system nor security cameras, the two criminals take a look around the back area of the store with the help of their flashlights.

The leader points towards a small safe and Jack understands the message, nodding and making his way over to it while Charles silently went to the cash register.

Easily breaking into it and moving the money to his bag, he listens the clicks from the other room echoing through the store as his accomplice tries to find out the combination of the safe.

Charles is about to go meet him again when something suddenly catches his attention.

There's some jewelry on display near the cash register and one piece in particular makes him smile.

It's a silver necklace with a small, delicate bee pendant.

Eleanor's face immediately comes to his mind and he reaches for the necklace, quickly putting it into the pocket of his leather jacket before making his way back to the other room, just as Jack succeeds in unlocking the safe.

As his accomplice puts the loot from the safe inside his own bag, the leader starts to feel uneasy. His instinct is telling them to hurry up so he hits Jack's shoulder, gesturing towards the back door with his head.

And sure enough, just as they make it out of the store, police sirens can be heard in the distance.

The two men immediately realize what their mistake was. The absence of cameras and alarms made them feel too safe and they probably ended up pointing their flashlights to the windows by accident. Someone from the house in front of the store must have noticed this and called the police.

Wasting no time, they take off running towards the car where Anne was waiting.

"Weigh anchor?" The redhead asks immediately as the two men get inside the car, the trio's leader shaking his head.

"Cut and run." Charles says and she nods, starting the engine.

After years of communicating with their secret little codes during their robberies, of course she knew what this meant.

The police is here.

A smirk tugs at Anne's lips as she speeds off, ignoring the curse from Jack at the backseat. This is her favorite part of their "job".

She absolutely loves the emergency getaways.

The chase lasts for only 10 minutes.

This is exactly why Anne is their getaway driver. Besides being great at the wheel, she's never afraid to be audacious, counting on her abilities and luck and doing whatever she needs to escape safely with her partner and her leader.

And this time is no exception.

"I think we lost them!" Charles says and she nods, quickly changing their route and driving back to the hideout.

Jack is silent as they make their way upstairs, his jaw clenched hard and legs slightly unsteady. Anne notices this and scoffs.

"We've been doing this shit for years, when will you stop being such a baby?"

"Well, I'm sorry! You drive like a madwoman!"

The redhead smirks, leaning against the table as the two men leave the bags with their loot of the night on its surface. "I do what I have to do. You should thank me. If it wasn't for me, you two idiots would have already been caught a long time ago."

Jack rolls his eyes as their leader make his way to his room.

"Count the money." He tells the other man, stopping on his tracks to read the text Eleanor had sent him a few minutes ago.

_"I know you're busy tonight. And I was going to keep this to myself, but I just had the nightmare. Plus, had dancing practice with Woodes and a really bad fight with my father this afternoon. I don't really feel like staying alone, or at the mansion, so... If you could come pick me up, that would be great."_

He frowns, thinking about what to do. The cops saw him and Jack. It wouldn't be wise to leave the safety of the hideout right now.

"Charles. Don't even think about it." Jack tells him while counting the money, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

This wouldn't be wise at all.

But the mere thought of leaving Eleanor to deal with her demons alone...

Mind made up, he grabs the motorcycle keys...

And throws them to Anne.

"Go pick her up." He says as the redhead grabs the keys in the air.

Anne stares at him incredulously, and even Jack stops what he's doing, looking at Charles and then at his partner.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

She scoffs, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why me?"

"The cops saw me and Jack. Not our faces, but our bodies. You, on the other hand..." He shrugs, trying to contain his smirk. "They are looking for two men. Not a woman. And Eleanor needs me. Go. It's an order."

When she just stands there looking at him with a clenched jaw, Charles narrows his eyes in warning.

"Now!"

Scoffing again, the redhead grabs her leather jacket and helmet before storming out the front door.

"You better bring her here alive and in one piece, or there will be consequences! I'll tell her you'll pick her up one street away from the mansion!" He calls out, looking down at his phone's screen again to warn Eleanor that Anne was the one going for her, not him.

But at the last second... A wicked thought comes to his mind and the criminal deletes the message he was about to send, sending a new one instead.

_"I'm on my way. Meet me one street away from the mansion."_

With a half smirk, he puts the phone back into his pocket and looks over at Jack, finding his accomplice smirking as well.

"You didn't warn her that it's Anne who's going to pick her up, did you?"

A brief chuckle escapes Charles' lips. "What would be the fun in that?"

With a shake of his head, Jack laughs and goes back to counting the money. "Oh, how I wish I could be there to see this scene. This is going to be interesting."

* * *

Just as she's starting to get cold and anxious, alone out here in the dark street, Eleanor hears the sound of the motorcycle stopping behind her. Turning around with a soft smile, she walks over to it, keeping her head down in an attempt to hide the relief and love in her eyes.

Will she be in trouble if she takes the criminal's helmet off and kisses him right here?

Finally looking up and reaching for him to do just that, her blood runs cold.

This isn't Charles.

The other woman flinches away from her hands, cold eyes narrowing in warning.

"The fuck you doing? Don't touch me more than what's absolutely necessary."

She frowns, looking around in confusion. "Anne?"

Giving her the extra helmet and getting back on the motorcycle, the redhead rolls her eyes. "Did that Spaniard's blade kill all your neurons too, cunt? What are you doing standing there like an idiot? Hop the fuck on and let's get this over with already."

"I don't understand... Charles said he was the one coming to pick me up."

Anne stares at her in disbelief before shaking her head with a clenched jaw. "He'll fucking pay for this."

Seeing she had no choice, Eleanor sighs and puts on the helmet, hesitating before getting on the motorcycle and holding on to the other woman's waist.

"If you move these hands anywhere else, I will cut them off." She threatens before speeding off without any sort of warning, catching the blonde off guard.

It feels so different than riding with Charles.

Even though her Captain is not exactly careful with the motorcycle either, Anne is being completely reckless, going as fast as she possibly can. Eleanor knows the redhead is probably doing her very best to make her terrified.

And on top of everything else, she doesn't feel safe at all. The thin, lithe body of the woman in front of her is so different than the muscular, bigger one she's used to.

The blonde simply feels as if she has absolutely nothing to hold on to.

And she usually likes riding on the motorcycle with her criminal. There's the rush, the danger, but she always feels safe with him, she trusts him. With Anne, though, there's nothing but horror.

This feels like bungee jumping... without the rope. Leaping off an airplane without a parachute... Or swimming with hungry great white sharks without the cage. Covered in blood.

Few things in the world are able to make Eleanor Guthrie so fucking terrified.

And riding on a motorcycle with Anne Bonny just made it into the list.

Who would've ever known.

The blonde tries squeezing her eyes shut, but it only gets worse, her stomach protesting as she feels more and more dizzy with each passing minute.

And when they finally make it to the garage area of the hideout, Eleanor needs a few seconds to understand she's still alive.

Her legs feel like jelly as they make their way upstairs and all she wants is to stop and sit down on the steps. But she refuses to give Anne this victory. So she stays strong, trying to ignore Jack's smirk as they walk through the front door. He's counting money at the table, and after a moment of clearly trying to contain his laughter, the man points to the door to his leader's room.

"He's in there waiting for you."

She nods, quickly making her way inside the room and closing the door behind her.

The criminal is standing in front of his dresser, and she forgets how to breathe for a moment. He's fresh out of the shower, hair loose and wet, a towel around his hips.

Noticing as she stares, the bastard chuckles. "What happened? You look really pale."

She narrows her eyes at him, finally giving up and going straight into his arms, her shaky legs almost giving out.

Charles is barely able to contain his laughter as he guides her to the bed, sitting on the mattress with her.

"Let me take the damn ring off." He demands and she holds out her left hand.

Her  _trembling_  left hand.

Seeing the state she's in, he almost regrets his cruel little game... Almost.

"You could have at least warned me. That wasn't necessary at all." She says with a scowl as he tosses the engagement ring to the floor and he shakes his head before leaning closer, that infuriating half smirk firmly in place.

"But fun nonetheless."

The familiar words catch her off guard and she's instantly taken back to that moment three hundred years ago.

How he had intimidated James Bridge for her...

Always doing everything for her.

The blonde bites her lower lip as she remembers their conversation afterwards. God, how she had wanted him back then. There was just something about him that day, he looked even better than usual, his eyes much more blue, and that fucking coin in his fingers...

It physically hurt to resist him that day.

Now here he is, right in front of her, the same teasing look in his eyes... And now she can have him.

Every time Eleanor remembers this, her heart skips a beat. It just feels too good to be true.

A smirk comes to her lips and she brings one hand to the back of his neck, the other flirting with the loose towel around his hips. "It was terrifying. You better make it up to me."

A wicked glint comes to his eyes and he kisses her, already pushing her down into the mattress as she freed him from the towel.

"Trust me. I intend to."

* * *

Clenching his jaw hard, Ned refuses to avert his eyes from Woodes' as the man delivers him yet another shock with the electroshock weapon.

When he stops, the one eyed man is left breathless, trying not to show how painful this whole experienceIs being and masking his growing despair with a weak, tired and hollow laugh.

Mason shakes his head, coming closer to the chair Ned was currently tied to and causing him to cry out in pain when he unceremoniously plucks out his fake right eye.

The younger brother closes his eyes for a moment, finding the sight too disturbing, before regaining his composure.

"You ready to talk?"

The bound man looks up at him. "You ready to let me fuck that lovely little bride of yours?"

Woodes narrows his eyes at him, clenching his jaw before nodding at his brother. Mason wastes no time, shocking Ned with his Taser.

Agony is written all over the tortured man's face as the two brothers watch him. They've been at this for the last three hours and after another two, Ned looks ready to pass out from all the pain.

"We can stay here until dawn. It's your decision, Mr. Low. By now, I think it's clear I won't let you touch my fiancée. So how about you cooperate? Just say his name and we'll leave you alone. Come on. It's not like you're friends with this man, right?"

He lets out a dry, weak laugh, looking up at Woodes' face. "Friend... Even if I can't have Eleanor... Promise me something else."

"And what is it?"

"Promise me you gonna make this couple suffer... The hatred I feel towards these two... Is absurd. I want them to go through hell... Promise you'll make that delicious little bride of yours suffer. Promise me her long haired lover will beg for mercy. And most of all, promise you'll tear them apart and make sure they'll never see each other again."

Sharing a look with Mason, a cruel smirk comes to Woodes face before he shocks Ned one last time.

"You have my word."

Recovering from the last wave of pain, the one-eyed man looks up at the two brothers again.

"Charles." He spits out the name as if it's poison on his tongue, watching as Woodes' smirk widens. "The man's name... is Charles."

* * *

He wakes up to the sound of the rain falling heavily outside, two hours before dawn.

The only thought in Charles' sleep muddled brain is holding Eleanor firmly in his arms and falling asleep again, but as he realizes he's alone in bed, the criminal wakes up completely and looks around the room, starting to sit up in bed.

Eleanor was at the window, wearing nothing but one of his shirts and watching the storm fall with her arms wrapped around herself. He notices she's shivering from the cold.

"Eleanor?" He asks, voice rough from sleep.

She looks at him, her eyes filled with pain and tears, and the sight makes his heart sink. He soon realizes her guilt and self-hatred are attacking again.

Sighing, the criminal lifts the blankets and offers her a half smile.

"It's freezing, Eleanor. Come back to bed."

The blonde swallows hard, fresh tears filling her eyes as she nods, walking back to the bed before getting under the covers, immediately burying her face in the crook of his neck and taking a deep breath.

"Thats it. Come here." The criminal whispers as his arms wrap around her waist, holding her close, one of his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back. "It's okay." He continues to whisper as she begins to shake slightly.

Eventually she pulls away slightly and looks at him, a tear running down her cheek. He gently wipes it away, his worried eyes searching her troubled ones.

"Sorry I woke you up."

"You didn't. It was the storm."

"Oh." She breaks eye contact, lowering her head.

He gently lifts her chin to look in her eyes again. "Don't try hiding from me. You know it never worked."

She smiles. "You're right."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shakes her head, the smile fading. "I just woke up and the guilt was too strong. I... wanted to find something I could use to cut myself but I held back."

"I'm glad. Wouldn't want you bleeding all over my sheets." He jokes and she laughs quietly, smacking his shoulder.

"Idiot."

He smiles, his fingers continuing to draw nonsense on her back as he leans in and kisses her shoulder. She shivers.

"You cold?" Charles whispers, pulling away slightly to look at her face.

"I'm okay." Eleanor snuggles even closer to his warm body, her hand going to his chest to feel his heartbeat.

"There's something on your mind."

"I... want to tell you something. But I think it will make you really angry."

"Unless you tell me that you're about to betray me again and go back to Rogers, I don't think there's anything you can say that will anger me too much."

She lets out a dry laugh. "Yes. Believe me. There is."

"Did your little guilt crisis have something to do with it?"

The blonde nods, running her fingers through his hair. "Actually, yes. I just... There's just one more important thing left for me to tell you... about the past. And I was going to try keeping it to myself, but... I don't know, it looks like now I can't stand the idea of keeping stuff from you, of having secrets between the two of us. I want to be open."

The criminal sighs, pressing a kiss to her forehead. As much as her honesty pleases him, things are just so calm and peaceful between them right now. He's not sure if he wants to know whatever it is she has to say.

He doesn't want to be angry with her.

But of course, Charles can never deny this woman anything.

"Whenever you're ready."

Silence stretches as she gathers the courage, and just as he thinks she fell asleep...

"I was pregnant." Her words cut the peaceful silence like a knife, and he looks at her, not sure what to say... Or what to feel.

"His?"

She nods, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"I know that... Maybe I should feel bad about it... About not having my baby. And I did, at first, I actually still do, a little... But for some reason I just can't bring myself to feel the same way I did three centuries ago..." Looking up at his face, she frowns. "You think that makes me a bad person?"

He sighs. "No."

Eleanor nods, her arm moving up to his chest as she snuggles closer.

"Unless you want to go back to that idiot so you can pick up where you left off, make another baby and all that shit."

His words send a shudder through her body, the mere thought of going back to Rogers was enough to make her anxious and afraid. "I'll never be that person again. The docile wife. Never again. No matter what happens."

"It doesn't suit you." He says simply, his hand caressing her exposed back.

"It was killing me."

Tears come to her eyes as she remembers the way her life was.

"Honestly, I was already dead before that blade slashed me, before Flint held me as the life left my body. Part of me died during my time with Woodes."

He frowns. "And the other part?"

She sighs, averting his eyes. "The other part died with you. As I watched your body go still after the hanging." Her voice breaks at the last word and he looks down at her face, pulling her hair to make her meet his eyes.

"It's in the past. I'm here. We're here. And unless you fuck things up again, we'll stay like this."

She nods. "I won't. I'll die before I repeat the same mistakes."

There's silence again. Instead of peaceful and comfortable, it's heavy and tense, though Charles' hand is still caressing her shoulder.

"What's on your mind?"

"Just thinking... about your baby."

Eleanor frowns, his words catching her by surprise. "What about it?"

"How did you feel? How much did you want that child?"

"More than anything... At first, I was so scared... But from the moment I found out, I already loved him or her so damn much... The child's well-being became my priority. I know it may be hard to believe this, but it's the truth."

He nods, staring up at the ceiling, a scowl refusing to leave his face.

"Does it make you angry? To know that I loved the baby I made with... him?" The blonde asks carefully, afraid any wrong word would cause him to snap.

He frowns. "You really think I'm gonna be angry with you because you loved your unborn baby? Because you were a mother wanting to protect your child?"

"Then why do I see rage and hate in your eyes right now? And... disgust?"

"I'm not angry because of this... What makes me sick is to think about how this baby was created."

Truth be told, it now makes her sick too. "Then just... stop thinking about it."

"Easier said than done."

"It's in the past..." She tries and he scoffs, anger finally filling his eyes.

"But it happened. You were carrying his baby. Just to think that Rogers touched you, that he..." The criminal lets go of her, putting some space between them and averting his eyes, suddenly unable to look at her. "This is sickening. It's so fucking sickening."

Tears burn in her eyes as Eleanor scowls at him. "Well, I'm sorry if I was performing my duties as a wife-"

He laughs and a confused frown comes to her face. "What's so funny?"

Charles looks over at her again, a mix of emotions in his eyes. Anger, pure indignation, and... was that pity?

"Your  _'duties as a wife'_? Seriously? Jesus. It was worse than I thought."

"What exactly do you mean?"

He sighs heavily, laying on his side, closer to her. But as much as she wants to, Eleanor doesn't dare to try touching him just yet.

"You know exactly what I mean. That life really wasn't made for you, isn't that right?"

She shakes her head, tears glinting in her eyes. And surprise takes her over when Charles glances down at her stomach, bringing his hand to touch the skin under the shirt. Her eyes fall closed as he caresses it softly for a moment, as if there was a baby in there again...

"How far along were you?" He asks and she opens her eyes, letting him see the love shining in them.

"First trimester."

Another silent moment passes as his hand slowly goes still. But he still keeps it on her stomach. "Did the governor know?"

With a shuddering breath, Eleanor simply shakes her head, not failing to see the relief in his eyes. "You seem happy to know that."

"I am."

"Why?"

The criminal sighs heavily, thumb rubbing her birthmark lovingly. "I just feel better, knowing that... something like  _this_  didn't happen. Just to think about that idiot caressing your stomach in the silence of the night before you two fell asleep... It's too much for me."

His hand starts to move again as if to emphasize his point. And Eleanor is utterly amazed.

Something about this moment... She just feels so warm and loved.

All her fears from a few minutes ago, of a fight erupting between them, seem so stupid now.

But there's still darkness in his eyes.

"Does my baby make you feel disgusted?"

"It wasn't the child's fault."

"I thought that... You would hate him or her."

"Hate an unborn child? Who was killed before even having the chance to fully develop a brain?"

Eleanor sigh, drawing patterns on his chest, right where that mark used to be three centuries ago. "Considering who the father was..."

"Eleanor, I already told you. What sickens me is to think about the governor with you, touching you... But as I said, it wasn't the child's fault. And honestly... You're a fool if you think I'm capable of truly and completely hating something,  _someone..._  who's a part of you."

If she was already surprised and amazed before, now the blonde has to blink hard to make sure she's not dreaming. This is the last thing she expected...

And he only continues to amaze her. "Were I alive back then, I guess it would be too much to ask for me to... love this child and raise it as my own. Every time I looked at him or her and saw your features mixed with the governor's... It would make me want to vomit. But... I wouldn't actually hate him or her. At least not completely."

She shakes her head, wanting to understand why he was acting like this. "What-"

"You're being honest lately. That's just me wanting to do the same. It's a nice change, I guess."

A soft, unguarded smile comes to her face as they stare deep in each other's eyes.

It feels strange for them both, seeing nothing but honesty, no walls, no games... But this is just  _so good._

Bringing her hand to rest on top of his on her stomach, the blonde sighs. "Why did we wait so long to do this?"

"Why did  _you_ wait so long?" He asks, locking their fingers together while a brief laugh escaped her lips.

"I don't know... But I'm glad I'm finally doing it."

The criminal nods in agreement, watching her face closely.

They stay like this for a while the storm rages outside. And then Charles seems to remember something.

"I have something for you." Removing his hand from her stomach, he gets to his feet and walks over to the dresser, searching the pockets of his leather jacket while she admired the sight of his naked body.

Once he finds whatever it is he was looking for, the criminal returns to the bed, taking one of her hands in his and depositing the necklace on her palm.

Her breath catches.

"It caught my eye. And I couldn't help but think of you."

"I... This looks so similar to a necklace I owned three centuries ago." She says in a quiet voice, fingers touching the bee pendant.

"You had a bee necklace?"

She nods, looking up at his face. "It... reminded me of you. Because of the nickname."

A smile comes to his lips and her eyes light up as she hands the necklace to him, turning around and pulling her messy blonde hair out of the way.

Unable to stop smiling as he clasps the gift around her neck, Eleanor thinks about how easy things are right now. She was expecting a huge fight after this conversation. But somehow... their bond just feels even deeper and stronger now.

Charles drops a kiss to her shoulder and she faces him again before glancing down at the beautiful, delicate pendant. "I love it."

As the criminal pulls her into his arms again, both of them feel so much lighter.

There are no big secrets left.

No betrayals.

No extreme hate.

No ulterior motives

For the first time ever, they are completely at peace.

And no matter what comes their way, both of them know they will stand their ground and fight.

_Together._

The way it should have always been.

As Eleanor drifts off to sleep again, in the safety of her Captain's arms, a single thought runs to her mind.

_"I will never, ever leave you."_

**I love you.**


	46. Friend or Foe

"What do you think?" Eleanor asks while Charles reads Mary's message from two days ago.

The criminal sighs, handing the phone back to her. "Mary is too smart for her own good. She'll probably end up figuring this out, sooner or later. But if she needs to know, I prefer she finds out on her own. No one says a word about this." He says, giving his accomplices a sharp look as they silently watch the couple, a few feet away from the table.

Anne and Jack share a brief look before nodding in agreement and walking back to their room.

Once they're alone in the main space of the hideout, Eleanor smirks at him. "So... You were calling my name in your delirium without even remembering me, long before we met again in this life? That's so cute."

He rolls his eyes. "With each passing day, I'm more and more convinced that you're a curse the universe cast on my soul the day it was created."

She laughs, but soon darkness comes to her eyes. "You still going to Somalia?"

"Of course I am. My sister is there and she needs me. I promised her I wouldn't abandon her like our shit of a father abandoned both of us."

The blonde nods slowly, a soft scowl on her face. "I know... but... Teach is there too."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" He leans back on the chair, hostility flickering in his eyes.

"You want to see him?"

"He's my uncle. And I owe him my life.  _Again._ " He lights a cigarette, looking at her in warning. "Of course I want to see him."

"Well, he... You've seen the message. He wants to kill me. If he finds out we've been reunited-"

A scoff from Charles interrupts her words. "You have to admit he has a good reason. And what are you so worried about? Do you plan on leaving this place and going to Somalia with me?"

Can she tell him she was considering the idea?

The thought is still too scary.

Too much for her to say out loud.

Her silence makes the hostility in his eyes grow. "That's what I thought."

"You don't understand-"

Charles shakes his head, laughing bitterly. "What is there to understand? That even after all the advances we've been making, even after all the recent proofs that your father and the governor don't give a fuck about your well being... You still prefer to stay with them?"

A wave of annoyance and anger overcomes her as her mind easily slips into that familiar fight mode from the past, urging her to argue and hide from him.

"This is so fucking unfair. So what if I want to stay here in the safety of LA instead of leaving and risking my life at sea, go to a dangerous place we know nothing about only to see a man who's thirsty for my blood? Does that sound wise to you, Charles? You see, that's your problem! You still act as if danger doesn't exist, you still take too many risks!" She rises from the chair, taking a few steps away from the table and looking back at him over his shoulder when he speaks again, extinguishing his cigarette.

"That's not your main reason for not wanting to leave with me, and we both know it!"

She frowns, turning around to face him. "What are you talking about?"

"You still desperately cling to the hope that sorry excuse of a man you call your father will show you love sooner or later! Not to mention this sick devotion for the governor that still lingers, even though your very  _soul_  is urging you to stay away from him!"

"Woodes disgusts me! I don't-"

"While that may be true... Would you let me go over to his mansion tonight and kill him?"

She hesitates, scowling at him and clenching her jaw. The criminal lets out a dry, hollow laugh.

"Yeah. Of course you wouldn't."

Eleanor scoffs, too angry to look at his face for a minute longer.

"Fuck you, Charles." Is all she says before walking out the front door, slamming it shut behind her.

Clenching his jaw hard, he turns around to look at Jack as his accomplice walks back into the main space of the hideout with a grimace. "Took you guys long enough. You think we should worry about her doing something?"

Charles shakes his head, trying hard to ignore the dread spreading inside him like fire. As if something bad was about to happen.

Something really bad.

"She'll be back. When it comes to us, you know fights are bound to happen. She just needs some time to clear her head. Then she'll come back to me."

Jack sighs heavily, rubbing his forehead. "I hope you're right, Charles. I really, really do."

* * *

Still clenching her jaw in anger, Eleanor walks the corridors with a scowl, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and some wine. But as she walks past the door to her father's office, his voice calls her name, making her roll her eyes in annoyance before turning around to see what he wanted.

But as she walks inside the office, her blood runs cold.

Richard is standing behind his desk, a cold look in his eyes while Mason and Woodes watch her, a few feet away from the windows.

Something's not right.

Trying to repress her fear, she raises her chin in defiance. "What is it?"

Her fiancée walks over to her, reaching to grab a hold of her chin... And staring straight at the hickey she forgot Charles left on her neck last night.

"Who did this? Was it Charles?"

Her eyes widen in horror. Does he remember?

Meeting his eyes, she finds no sign that his memories were recovered. But her relief doesn't last for too long. Mason walks around them, stopping a few feet behind her as his younger brother continues to speak.

"I know you've been seeing that criminal again. And if you think I'm stupid, darling... You are sorely mistaken. You didn't want to tell me his name? I found out on my own. Next step is to find him. No man touches what belongs to me. And if you think you can make a fool out of me and get away with it, you're wrong." He snaps his fingers and Mason grabs her arms, restraining her movements and applying pressure every time she tried to fight him.

"I really wish we didn't have to do this, darling. But you leave me no choice. You deceived me. This calls for drastic measures. We are doing this for your own safety. In my family's mansion, you will be out of Charles' reach. He won't find you. So he won't harm you.

Despair spreads inside her and she steps on the older brother's foot hard, glad to be wearing high heels.

Breaking free from Mason's grasp, she runs to the desk and grabs a hold of Richard's arms, a pleading look in her wide eyes. "Father, please! Don't let them do this, don't let them take me!"

_"You still desperately cling to the hope that sorry excuse of a man you call your father will show you love sooner or later!"_

As Charles' words from earlier run through her mind, her father looks her in the eyes for a few moments and she actually hopes he will see reason.

She actually hopes the fear in his daughter's eyes will be enough to melt the ice in his heart...

"Get her out of my sight."

His words feel like a stab to her heart.

The pain is too much and Eleanor's hands drop from his arms weakly, tears filling her eyes as Mason gets a hold of her again.

The blonde tries to fight for a moment but soon handcuffs close around her wrists and a gag is placed on her mouth.

Focusing on her father's face, she doesn't see the needle before it pierces her skin, panic taking her over as her fiancée injects her with something.

And soon all fight leaves her body, her legs giving out.

Woodes catches her before she can hit the floor, cradling her in his arms.

"Just a little something that will allow us to move you into your new home without the danger of you putting up a fight and hurting yourself. Don't worry. You'll just sleep for a few hours."

His fingers caress her cheek softly before he raises back to his normal height, carrying her to the door.

Eleanor uses the last bit of her strength to weakly reach out for her father, trying one last time.

And the last thing she sees before being claimed by unconsciousness is Richard turning his back to her.

* * *

"Her blood test result arrived. She's not pregnant."

Mason's voice. But it sounds so distant... Her vision is blurry too.

And why is she in an unfamiliar bed?

Her head hurts like hell...

"Good. That's a relief. One less thing for me to worry about."

Woodes' voice makes her memories of what happened at her father's office come crashing over her and she tries to sit up, eyes filled with alarm.

"Look who's awake. Leave us alone, brother."

The older man leaves the room, closing the door behind him and Eleanor tries to ignore the fear growing inside her as her fiancée makes his way over to the bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"How long was I out?"

"Ten hours."

She frowns, moving away from him as he tries to brush her hair behind her ear. "What was Mason talking about?"

"Oh, we took the liberty of taking some of your blood while you were sleeping. Hope you don't mind." He offers her a sarcastic smile. "But I needed to know if there was a little... unwanted presence in your womb."

Eleanor scoffs at him, trying not to touch her stomach. "You're fucking sick."

He chuckles briefly, getting to his feet and walking to the door. "Someone will bring you dinner in a while. You better eat."

He opens the door and her breath catches at the sight of the familiar man standing just outside the room.

"This is Utley. One of my most trusted servants. He will be standing guard outside this room, so if you need anything, just knock on the door or call out for him. I will come see you later, love. Feel free to explore your new accommodations."

She almost considers trying to make a run for the door but Woodes quickly closes it behind him, the sound of the key turning making her heart sink. Quickly getting to her feet, she tries searching her pockets for her phone, only to find it gone.

Of course they would take it.

Taking a few deep breaths to keep herself from panicking, Eleanor takes a look around the room, searching for any possible escape routes.

_The windows._

Smirking to herself, she runs to one of them, opening the thick curtains...

Only to have her hopes crushed when she sees the metal bars on the other side. Not giving up, she checks each one of the windows, finding the same metal bars over and over again.

Running to the bathroom, the blonde sees another small window near the shower, this one without the bars. If she can just reach it...

Even knowing it was probably too small for her to be able to escape through it, she still pushes one of the bedside tables all the way to the bathroom, climbing up on it. But sure enough, she can barely fit her head through the window.

Sinking to the floor as a frustrated whimper leaves her lips, Eleanor is glad to notice she at least still has the bee necklace. It offers her some comfort as she grasps at the pendant, tears burning in her eyes.

The blonde knows she can't panic. All she needs is to think clearly. She's not alone in the world, surely Mr. Scott will notice she's missing soon, or Max, or Madi, or her mother... They will try to call her, to look for her. Mr. Scott wil see she's not in the mansion. He will...

He will go to Charles.

They will find out where she is, her pirate will come to her rescue, everything will be okay...

Fuck, how she regrets their fight. If Eleanor knew this would happen, she wouldn't have argued with him like that.

What if he comes here, blind with rage, and Woodes captures him?

A million thoughts run through her mind and she lets the tears flow freely, giving in to the despair.

"What have I done?"

* * *

Charles opens his eyes to the morning light filtering in through the window of his room. The first thing he does is to reach for his phone, his heart sinking when he doesn't see any messages from Eleanor.

It's been three days since their fight. He thought she would already be back by now.

He has a weird feeling. Something's just not right. His instinct is telling him there's danger... But for who? For his stubborn queen?

Or for him?

Quickly getting dressed, the criminal walks to the door of his room.

He needs to check up on her. His pride be damned. If she's in any danger, he'll find out...

Stopping in his tracks, Charles frowns at the sight of his accomplices staring at him from the couch with a strange, serious look on their faces.

"What the fuck is going on?" He asks, seeing how Jack was trying to hide a newspaper behind his back. Storming over to them and taking it from his friend's hand, he stares at the news with a scowl.

And his heart breaks in a million pieces.

There's a picture of Eleanor's hand, her fingers locked with the governor's, their engagement rings shining proudly.

She sent no message to warn him about this...

The date for the wedding was set... Two months from today. The news say Eleanor already even moved into her fiancée's mansion.

The weight of her betrayals comes back.

So this is why she didn't come back to him yet.

Because she never will.

All the ice that had melted away comes back to his heart and Charles turns around, not wanting his accomplices to see the tears gathering in his eyes. Fighting them away and focusing on his anger, he rips the newspaper violently. "She made her choice. There's nothing else I can do for her now."

"Any orders?" Jack asks carefully and the leader turns around to face them again, his eyes cold.

"Get everything ready. We're leaving the country."

* * *

"She's not in the mansion." Scott says when he arrives back at the house, watching as Caroline covered her mouth with her hand, worry filling her eyes.

"Where's my baby? What happened to her?"

"One of the servants told me he saw Woodes and Mason Rogers leaving the mansion with her three days ago. She was unconscious. Woodes carried her to his car, and they didn't come back since then."

Caroline drops to the couch, eyes glinting with tears while Max and Madi rush to comfort her.

"Dad, what are we gonna do? What if they hurt her? We need to do something." Madi pleads, ignoring the soft scoff from John.

"We all know who we need." Max says, squeezing Caroline's hand reassuringly before rising from the couch. "The news about the wedding are all over the city already. We're the only ones who know what's really going on. We need to go tell Vane. Or he will think this is another betrayal... and we can't rescue her without him."

Scott nods. "Let's go then. Time is precious. Madi, stay here with Caroline and John. Max, you and I will go after the Captain."

As they walk to the door, Caroline calls out for them. "Please, convince him to help. Eleanor is suffering... I can feel it."

"That bastard will pay for what he's doing to our little girl and we'll bring her back to safety. I promise." Scott reassures her, grabbing his car keys and leaving with Max while his daughter tried to comfort the crying medium.

* * *

Her eyes are filled with hate as she watches Woodes entering the room, and the irony of this moment is not lost on her. Eleanor is sitting on the bed, trapped in this room and staring at him with an unfriendly look in her eyes.

Just like the first time they saw each other.

"How are you feeling, darling?"

She scoffs, getting to her feet. "Like a fucking caged animal, that's how I'm feeling."

He makes a face, shaking his head with a sigh. "Such a gorgeous woman, but such a filthy mouth... That's another thing we'll need to take care of. I don't want my wife talking like this."

"If you think I will still be your wife after  _this_ , you are mistaken."

His jaw clenches and he takes a step closer. "Love, if you don't want to spend the rest of your days trapped in this room, you will cooperate."

Not backing down, Eleanor storms over to him, eyes filled with anger as she stares up at his face. "You are not going to get away with this. Someone will notice I'm missing. Soon the police will know about this-"

Woodes laughs at her words, shaking his head. "Sorry to crush your hopes. But I have the police department on the palm of my hand. So no, I wouldn't count on their help if I were you."

Clenching her jaw, the blonde flinches away when he touches the fading hickey on the skin of her neck. "You know what? Our friend Ned told me your dear lover lives somewhere near the Demeter. Mason and I have been taking a look around the neighborhoods close to that filthy place for the last three days. I plan on having Charles arrested soon. You will never see that man again, Eleanor. How do you feel about that?"

"You won't find him. He's uncatchable. But if some miracle happens and you do find him, Charles will best you. He will beat you to a pulp, maybe even kill you. You will never succeed in capturing him."

His eyes narrow. "It's so sickening to hear you talk like this. What on earth did that man do to earn your affections? This is not fair, darling. I tried so hard. And instead of opening your heart to me, you gave your love to a criminal-"

"Want to know what he did?" She snaps, trying hard not to let the tears out. "He understood me. He was there for me. He was always honest and treats me as his equal. He would never force me into anything-"

"You think he loves you, Eleanor?" The man interrupts her, a dark look in his eyes.

"I don't  _think._  I'm absolutely sure."

Again, Woodes laughs, looking at her as if she was a child. "Oh, you naive girl. These people don't feel. He was only having some fun with you. I'm doing you a favor. You are safe here. Soon, Charles would have grown bored of you. It wouldn't take too long before the news were all over the city."

"What news?"

"About your death, of course. As soon as the criminal had enough of you, he would kill you. Because you know, the dead can't talk."

Eleanor scoffs, shaking her head. "You don't know anything about Charles. He would  _never_  hurt me. Not physically. He would risk his own life to keep me safe."

Her fiancée clicks his tongue in disapproval. "You know nothing about the world, Eleanor. I have been dealing with these people for years. I know how they think. They care only about themselves, unable to love someone else. They have no heart. And your dear Charles is no exception. He is an  _animal,_  just like the rest of them-"

Her self control vanishes and Eleanor screams at him. "He is not an animal, Woodes! You are!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Utley look over at them, clearly uncomfortable as he stood at the still open door.

Her fiancée clenches his jaw.

And does what she wasn't expecting at all.

The hard slap takes her by surprise and she falls to the floor, one hand flying to her cheek as tears burn in her eyes.

It fucking hurt.

"Sir!" Utley's alarmed voice reaches her ears and he immediately rushes to her side, dropping down to the floor beside her and checking the damage the other man had made.

She's shaking, eyes wide in horror and surprise, unable to believe what just happened.

She had never expected Woodes to lay a finger on her.

Looking up at his face, the blonde feels her blood run cold when she sees the look in his eyes.

He's staring right at her bee necklace, looking almost haunted...

"I've seen you wearing this before."

She frowns, trying to pretend not to know what he was talking about, and he shakes his head.

"No... It wasn't the same necklace... The other one was different... Pearls..." He trails off, eyes clouded over. "...a dress."

Woodes is talking to himself by now, looking as if he had gone crazy. Utley frowns, moving closer so he would be able to protect her in case the other man tried to hit her again.

Each second feels like an eternity and Eleanor's heart is filled with dread.

Will this be the moment he remembers everything?

But soon, Woodes shakes his head, scowling down at the two people. "I suggest you think about your actions, darling. No need to make this whole experience even harder, don't you think? I will not be made out a fool. In no time, I will be your husband. And you will learn to honour and respect me."

She watches as her fiancée leaves the room, keeping the strong façade up.

Only when Woodes is out of her sight, Eleanor lets the tears flow freely.

"It will be okay, miss. Everything will be okay. How's your cheek?"

She shakes her head, ignoring the man's question and looking at his face "Utley, you need to help me get out of here, please..."

The blonde sees the pain in his eyes. He feels bad for her. He  _wants_  to help her.

"I... can't, miss. I've been working for Woodes for years, my loyalty lies with him, I'm so sorry."

Despair spreads inside her and a broken sob leaves her lips as she grasps at the bee pendant, closing her eyes and crying while Utley tried his best to comfort her. "But I can promise you, I will not let him hit you again, alright? You will be okay, miss..."

Eleanor is not really listening to his words, unable to forget the haunted look in Woodes' eyes. He's so fucking close to remembering, and something tells her he won't handle the conflicting memories too well.

She will be in serious danger once his memories come back. Eleanor just knows it. She really needs to find a way to get out of this place, and soon.

For her own safety.

The piercing blue eyes she loves so much flash through her mind and another sob escapes her lips, her heart clenching.

She doesn't want her own house. She doesn't want her father...

She just wants Charles.

* * *

He punches the desk hard, staring at the notebook screen.

The wedding date was set. She moved into Rogers' mansion?

This makes no sense.

"Fuck."

He just knows it's her father. These two assholes did something, he's absolutely sure Eleanor is being kept in that fucking mansion against her will.

Does she remember? Does Vane remember?

Would he try to save her?

He can't take the risk.

So he packs a quick bag and buys a plane ticket before leaving his quarters and ship.

Fuck karma. Fuck everything. He won't let anything happen to her.

Turning around to look at the cruise ship, he stares at the name for a moment.

"It's time to fight. The story won't repeat itself."

The man nods to himself, leaving the port and the Walrus behind.

"Hold on, Eleanor. I'm coming for you."


	47. Unpredictable

**_23 years ago_ **

_The babies' cries filled his ears as Flint stood by the nursery glass, his eyes searching through the cribs._

_Which one of them is her?_

_He calls a nurse, eyes not leaving the cribs._

_"Which one you came here to see?" The kind looking woman asks with a soft smile._

_"The Guthrie baby."_

_The nurse's eyes fill with sadness. "I'm glad she has someone. Poor thing. Her mother died during childbirth and I think the father blames her. He doesn't even want to see her. Her life has barely started and it's already full of pain."_

_"She's been alone since her birth?" He asks with a scowl._

_"Her grandparents came to see her once but they didn't stay for too long. I'll go get her for you. Who are you, by the way?"_

_"I'm her... uncle." He lies and the nurse smiles._

_"Alright. Just a minute."_

_She goes back inside the nursery, and he hears her muffled voice from the other side of the glass._

_"Hi sweetie! Guess what, your uncle is here to see you, Eleanor!" She says, scooping up a pink bundle from one of the cribs, his heart clenching when he sees the wisps of familiar blonde hair in her head._

_Tears threaten to come to his eyes when the nurse comes back with Eleanor in her arms, the baby girl crying nonstop._

_"Here you go. Maybe you can get her to calm down a little. This one's got a really strong personality."_

_He awkwardly accepts the baby in his arms, fumbling a little at first but soon getting the hang of it._ _Her big blue eyes stare up at him, and he_ _gently_ _brushes her cheek with his thumb, her cries quieting down as she watches him._

_The nurse smiles._ _"There. I knew she just needed some love from her family."_

_"Is she okay? Is she healthy?"_

_"She's perfectly healthy, yes. The only unusual thing is a birthmark that looks like a scar on her stomach. But it's nothing to be worried about."_

_Memories flash through his mind. Of holding her in his arms as she died, blood flowing from the wound on her stomach._

_Now, three centuries later, here he is again, the same stubborn blue-green eyes staring up at him once more._

_"Can I... Can I hold her for a while?" He asks, not taking his eyes off Eleanor's face._

_"Just don't wander off with her. You can sit right there. Where we can see you from the nursery." The nurse says, pointing to a bench behind them. "Call me if you need anything."_

_"Thank you." Flint says as she goes back inside the nursery to care for the other babies._

_Moving to sit on the bench, he looks down at the baby girl, finding her still staring at him with a soft frown._

_And even though he knows it's stupid to try talking to a newborn baby, he just can't help himself._

_"I know you're confused. I also know you probably recognize me, my voice, right now. And I promise everything will be okay. As the nurse said, your life is already filled with pain. But you came back to pay for the things you did. To pay for your wrong decisions..."_

_A pout comes to the baby's tiny lips and he's worried she'll start crying again._

_"Don't cry. I won't know what to do with a crying baby."_

_Her intense and focused gaze is unusual on a newborn's face. It should creep him out, but it doesn't. Flint knows that at this initial stage of life she remembers some stuff from the previous life, but still has the mind of a newborn. He has no idea how this works, not knowing what's going on inside her head._

_His thoughts are interrupted when the nurse comes back, holding a bottle in her hand._

_"Sorry to interrupt. But maybe you can get her to drink this? She won't let anyone feed her, we're starting to get worried."_

_He nods, taking the bottle and the woman goes back to the nursery._

_"You're still just as stubborn as you were before, aren't you?" He asks with a smirk, his heart filling with affection as she keeps scowling adorably._

_"Come on Miss Guthrie. You need this to stay alive." Flint shakes his head, trying to get her to nurse from the bottle, and failing miserably every time. "Come on. You need to feed. Please. For me?"_

_Tired of fighting, the baby finally accepts the bottle, and he sees the shift in her eyes when she slips into a more newborn-like behavior, eyes becoming less focused as she stares up at him, blinking heavily while he feeds her._

_It amazes Flint to see this change. This whole reincarnation thing really is pretty amazing._

_When she refuses to drink any more he lifts the bottle and the nurse comes to retrieve it, relief filling her eyes._

_Looking down at the infant in his arms, he frowns._

_He knows how to deal with Eleanor._

_But has no idea how to treat a newborn baby._

_What the fuck is he supposed to do?_

_The baby is growing restless in his arms, grumpy from exhaustion, and his brain races to try and come up with a way to comfort her. Suddenly an idea comes to him and he clears his throat before starting to sing softly while looking her in the eyes._

_A different version of a song he knows she loved back in the previous life._

_"I'll sing you a song of a lass that was gone, you say, 'Could that lass be I?' Merry of soul, she sailed on a dais, over the sea to Nassau..._ _Billow and breeze, islands and seas, mountains of rain and sun... All that was good, all that was fair, all that was you, is gone... I'll sing you a song of a lass that was gone, you say, 'Could that lass be I?' Merry of soul, she sailed on a dais, over the sea to Nassau..."_

_She's asleep by the time he finishes, breathing softly, a peaceful look on her perfect face. He watches her for a long time, a loving smile refusing to leave his lips while his thumb caresses her tiny chin._

_Looking up, he notices the nurses are busy, there's no one watching him..._

_Flint plans an escape route, his brain working to come up with a perfect way to disappear in the world while taking Eleanor with him._ _All he wants is to leave this place with her, to raise her as his own child, to keep her safe from all the pain she will inevitably have in her life._

_His heart is still torn because of what happened two months ago, and he desperately needs something, a purpose..._

_Something to live for._

_Is this his fate?_

_If only he didn't leave the house three centuries ago, he would have been able to protect Eleanor. Was it all his fault?_

_Is this why he's going through so much pain dealing with that recent tragedy right now?_

_But what about **her**  fate?_

_No doubt, she has a lot to pay for, that's why karma is already kicking her ass right from her first day of life. And he knows it will only get worse._

_He can't take her with him._

_She has a fate to fulfill in this city, punishment to endure and mistakes to fix. And all he can do is watch from afar._

_For now, though, she's in peace._

_And he's happy to be able to give her this moment. It's the least he can do to thank her._

_Because for the first time since the tragedy, Flint doesn't feel like he's drowning in his pain._ _The baby girl in his arms is bringing light to his dark, pained and broken heart._

_And for that, he loves her._ _As if she's his own daughter._

_Somehow, he simply knows: This is exactly what he's supposed to be doing._

_His karma._

**_His fate._ **

* * *

**Present Days**

"Anne's not answering my calls." Max's voice is filled with worry as they make their way up the stairs, stopping in front of the door. "I just hope we're not too late. We will never be able to find them in case they already left... Do you want to open the door? Or do I do it?"

Scott sighs heavily, rubbing his forehead before nodding once, bracing himself for what would follow.

"Okay." Is all the woman says, bringing her hand to the doorknob and turning it.

The main space of the hideout is empty.

"Shit. Anne?" Max calls, walking inside. The anguish of thinking their only hope of rescuing Eleanor is gone, mixed with the pain brought by the idea that Anne left without even saying anything to her is too much.

But then there's a ruffling sound and the redhead emerges from behind the curtain to her and Jack's room, eyes filled with guilt and a bag in her hands.

"Are you leaving? Without talking to me first?" Tears are burning in Max's eyes and she momentarily forgets about their little rescue mission.

Anne sighs, dropping the bag and making her way over to the other woman. "We need to go. That bitch betrayed him again, there's no way to know how long we have before the police is at our door. She'll lead Rogers straight to us. And I don't like goodbyes. I will come back for you though, don't think I'd just abandon you-"

"Max." Scott's voice interrupts their little moment and she suddenly remembers about Eleanor's situation. "Every minute we waste is a chance of that bastard doing something to her."

She nods, clenching her jaw and looking in the redhead's eyes.

This is going to be difficult.

"Where's Vane? We need him."

Sure enough, Anne narrows her eyes in suspicion. "What for?"

Max opens her mouth to speak, but a voice interrupts her. A cold, harsh voice.

"What the fuck are you two doing in here?"

Her heart sinks when she turns around and sees the criminal coming out of his room. It's worse than she thought. His eyes look so cold, his fists are clenched and anger is written all over his face.

"She says they need you." Anne speaks as she moves closer to the other woman, silently letting her know she would protect her if things got ugly.

The leader scoffs and Max sees the way poor Scott swallows hard in fear as the cold blue eyes settle on him for a moment. But soon, he decides to just focus on Max.

And she knows her silence would only anger him even further. "I know what you are thinking, and believe me, I do not blame you. I know the weight of the past is something hard to overcome... But please, listen to what I have to say. You need to listen to me."

The criminal takes a few steps closer, jaw clenched hard. And just as she was about to speak again, a nervous looking Jack walks in through the front door.

"I saw him again-" He stops in his tracks, frowning in confusion. "What exactly is going on in here?"

"That's what I want to know. And if I don't find out soon, someone will die." Charles speaks in a harsh tone, looking at Scott again. "So you better just get to the fucking point already. My patience is running out."

Max bites her lower lip, trying to keep herself somewhat calm. "Look... The news you heard about the wedding... It's not what it looks like."

Her words only seem to anger him even more as he looks at her face, walking closer with a menacing look in his eyes.

Everything about him screams danger.

"Eleanor did not move into the mansion. She was taken there against her will."

She sees the way he hesitates, the hope that flickers in his eyes.

But it seems this is not enough.

"You expect me to believe that? When the proof of her newest betrayal is as fucking clear as the light of day?"

She frowns, looking at Anne's face then at Charles again. "What do you mean?"

"Mason Rogers is driving around the neighborhood right now." Jack finally speaks, taking a few steps closer to the small group. "Sometimes his brother does too. They are looking for Charles. And how do they know about his whereabouts? I'm sure you can figure it out."

Max shakes her head. "Someone else must have talked. Eleanor didn't do this-"

"Max." Scott's voice is filled with pain and she looks at him in question, the extremely worried look in his eyes making her heart skip a beat. "Don't you see? They must be torturing answers out of her."

"What?" Her voice comes out weak, a broken whisper, the mere thought of Eleanor going through torture is too much for her to handle.

"It makes sense. These two monsters are looking around the neighborhood. Had she really betrayed you as you think she did, Vane... What would keep her from just giving Rogers your exact location?"

Max sees as something shifts in the captain. His posture is still stiff but he lowers his eyes, seeming to be following Scott's line of thought.

"It is obvious... They must have been able to torture this out of her, she must have given them this clue on your whereabouts, but... she refuses to give them a solid answer. And as we talk, my little girl can be tied down in that mansion, going through absurd levels of pain and suffering-" He stops talking, eyes filled with tears at that disturbing thought.

And the pain in the leader's eyes is now different from the one Max saw when they arrived.

"Charles." Jack tries, but he simply looks at him in warning before focusing his attention on Max.

"Tell me your story."

She sighs deeply in relief, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Eleanor is not answering our calls. Not mine, not Scott's not Madi's. Not even her mother's. A servant told Scott he saw Mason and Woodes taking her from Richard's mansion three days ago. She was unconscious. And handcuffed."

Charles clenches his haw hard, looking over at Jack. Over the years, his accomplice had developed the ability to detect lies, reading people's faces and body language. It could be a useful skill sometimes.

Like now.

"Is she lying?" The leader asks and Jack sighs.

"I see no signs of a lie. But she's always been really good at this, so..." He trails off, ignoring the way Max narrows her eyes at him.

Charles storms over to his room, coming back a few seconds later with his gun, causing his accomplices to frown.

"You can't go there during daytime!" Jack tells him as he looks for the motorcycle keys.

"Watch me."

Max shares a look with Scott. They both know the trio's leader will end up being caught if he goes to that place blinded by rage, without a plan and during daytime.

And he's their only hope of bringing Eleanor back to safety.

"Listen to Jack. I know you're desperate to save her, we are too, but we need a solid plan. You don't know what you will find once you arrive at the mansion. We need to know more about it-"

"We have no time to waste!" Charles snaps, eyes filled with rage. "Each minute she spends there with that bastard... We have no idea what he's doing to her! Eleanor needs me, and I will go to her!"

Jack rubs his forehead, stress evident in every muscle of his body. "I know there's no way to make you give up on... rescuing her. But at least be reasonable. Try to calm down. You know you tend to make bad decisions when you're angry."

"The only bad decision I made was letting that bastard live! I should have killed him when he went to Eleanor's room during the weekend I spent there, taking care of her wounds."

"What if he's just waiting for you to go there? What if he has men ready to capture you? He's not stupid, surely he knows you would want to try rescuing Eleanor. You think he'll just sit there, not caring to prepare an unpleasant reception for you?" Max asks, relieved when the criminal stops what he's doing. He seems to be finally considering his options.

She can only imagine how hard this is for him.

Wanting to go save the woman he loves, but knowing he has to wait so his chances of succeeding will be higher.

This must be awful.

The despair flickering in his eyes is heartbreaking.

"Then we better come up with a plan soon." He says, still holding his gun, and Scott sighs.

"Let's meet back at the house. Caroline must de desperate. And there we can talk knowing Mason is not nearby."

The criminal nods in agreement, glancing at his accomplices. "You two stay here. If something happens, call me immediately."

* * *

Flint takes a look around as he finally leaves the airport.

Los Angeles.

The last time he was in this city was 14 years ago. When he came to check up on Eleanor and saw her with a bruised knee in that park.

He remembers the way she had talked about her nightmares. She seemed so haunted, and he knew that was one of her punishments. It amazed him to see just how much having nightmares about Vane's hanging was affecting her. She looked so lost and destroyed.

And fate brought the two of them back together.

During the entire flight from Rhode Island, his brain worked to come up with plans for Eleanor's rescue. He has no idea where Rogers' mansion is located. And Flint knows he needs help. So he rents a car, hoping Mr. Scott still lives in the same house.

Again, he wonders if anyone here in LA remembers the past lives.

Only one way to find out.

* * *

Caroline's hands have finally stopped trembling, and it seems she has ran out of tears. Each minute they wait feels like an eternity. Madi grabs one of her hands, offering her a soft smile. "Everything will be fine. Soon she will be here with us again, you'll see."

"What if it's too late? What if Vane left already?"

"We'll figure something out. But for now, let's cling to hope. It's a powerful thing. And one way or another, we will save your daughter. With or without Vane."

Caroline nods, wiping away what remained of the tears on her cheeks before getting to her feet and heading to the kitchen, hoping a glass of water would help calm her nerves.

John sighs heavily from his spot near the window, turning around to look at the couch where his lover was sitting. "Madi, this is going to get messy. And dangerous. Come on, pack your stuff."

She frowns, shaking her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Let's leave this city, I can keep you safe. You know the governor is close to remembering everything, and I want to take you far away from here before this happens. Besides, when Vane finds out about this whole situation, hell will probably break loose. We're not safe here."

She stares at him in disbelief. "No. We can't. What about Eleanor?"

The con man glances at the door to the kitchen with a sigh before focusing his attention back on his lover. "With all due respect to Caroline, who seems like an amazing, loving person... Eleanor can go to hell. It's not our problem, gorgeous. So let's not take such a huge risk because of her."

Madi shakes her head, not liking John's coldness towards the woman she sees as her sister.

"You know why Eleanor is so important to me? Let me tell you something that happened during our childhood in this new life."

He watches her face while Caroline comes back from the kitchen, sitting on the couch again and burying her face in her hands.

"You see, one day before Christmas Eve, back when I was around ten years old and she was 13, we decided to go to a park we used to visit all the time. I remember I was at the playground, and she was watching from afar, not really into swings, slides and all that anymore. A group of kids my age showed up out of nowhere. Those snob looking girls, with their straight hair, white skin and blue eyes. They stared at me as if they were seeing the most disgusting thing in the world. They asked what was it like to have bad hair all the time. And how people could see me during night time, when it was dark. Among other nasty stuff I don't really feel like repeating. I was close to tears when Eleanor ran up to my side. The girls knew who she was. She intimidated them wonderfully, and by the end of her speech, I was looking at those racist kids with my chin raised high, and they were the ones scared and ashamed. We came back to the house, and even though I was glad to have seen the other girls be defeated, their words were still causing me pain. Of course, Eleanor noticed. She admonished me. And then spent hours talking to me about how I needed to love myself. I still remember everything she said."

Caroline is staring at Madi with tears in her eyes and a proud smile as the woman continues to speak. "She told me there is more than one kind of beauty. And that there's nothing wrong if mine is different from the one most people like. She said I had nothing to be ashamed of. And that if someone can't appreciate all the different kinds of beauty in the world, then it's their own loss. She was the one who taught me how to be the way I am today. Proud of my dark skin. Proud of my hair. Proud of everything my ancestors overcame... Proud of myself. And I will never be able to show her just how grateful I am for that."

John lowers his eyes, his heart clenching for her. And a wave of gratitude for Eleanor catches him completely off guard.

"So no, John. I won't turn my back on the woman who's like the older sister I never had. I will stay right here and help with her rescue in any way I can. And if Rogers' memories come back, well, we will fight. We will fight, and we will kick his ass. Because my family is the most important thing I have. And if you want to be a part of it, then I suggest you start learning how to leave the past behind. Everyone who hates Eleanor focuses only on her past mistakes. They don't see everything she has endured in this new life, how much she has  _changed._  And this pisses me off." As she finishes speaking, the front door opens.

"Oh, thank God! Thank God you're here!" Caroline says, getting to her feet and running to Vane.

He awkwardly accepts her hug, not really sure how to react to it.

"You will help her, right? You will help my little girl-"

"I will bring her to safety soon. Don't worry about that."

"What can I do to help?" Madi asks, approaching the newly arrived criminal carefully and ignoring the warning look she was receiving from John.

"For now, all we need is a plan." Charles says, sharing a look with Max. "I'm sure you and I can come up with something brilliant."

She nods, smirking at him. "To save our stubborn queen? Yeah, I'm absolutely sure we can."

A half smirk comes to his lips and he opens his mouth to speak.

And the doorbell rings.

Scott frowns, walking over to open the door. And when Charles sees the man standing outside, he forgets how to think for a moment.

Max's jaw drops as she stares at the newly arrived man. "Oh. My. God."

Unable to see who it was from his spot on the middle of the living room, John pulls Madi closer to him, getting ready to fight if he had to. "Guys, what's going on? Who is it?"

Max looks over at him with a bright smile, as if the answer to their prayers had just fallen from the heavens. As if their chances of saving Eleanor just got higher.

Her eyes glint with pure joy and renewed hope as she speaks. "Flint. It's Flint."

* * *

Eleanor feels someone gently shaking her shoulder as she slowly wakes up from her slumber.

After refusing to lay down, spending the whole night screaming for help and looking for an escape from her prison, she sat down on the mattress, wanting to rest her legs and eyes for a few moments. But exhaustion took her over, and it looks like she ended up falling asleep despite the daylight coming in through the windows.

"Miss Guthrie... Wake up."

Frowning, she opens her eyes to see Utley staring at her with a nervous look on his face. He glances back at the door over his shoulder before focusing his attention on her. "Rogers will kill me if he sees me in here talking to you, so let's be quick."

"What?" Her sleepy voice asks as she sits up in bed, one hand going to her bee pendant. Her only source of comfort for the last three days.

"I have a break in ten minutes, someone else will watch the door to this room. I'll be away from the mansion for the next eight hours, then come back to watch the door again. Miss, is there someone I can go to?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like a friend, someone who can help you out of... this situation?"

A smile tugs at her lips. He's willing to help her now.

She gives him Mr. Scott's address. "This man is like a father to me. He'll know what to do. Please go to him and tell him what happened."

The man nods. "Rogers can't suspect anything."

"My lips are sealed. I promise." The blonde says, unable to contain her smile as the servant turns around to walk to the door.

"Utley!" She calls out and he looks at her over his shoulder. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

He offers her a soft smile and a nod before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. A brief laugh escapes her lips as she lays down again, feeling something she's really not used to.

_Hope._

* * *

"I leave you two idiots alone for three centuries, and look at the mess you have gotten yourselves into."

Charles watches in silence as the man makes his way inside the house, his words making Max chuckle briefly. The criminal still can't believe what he's seeing.

"Who are you?" Caroline asks with a confused frown, walking closer.

Flint seems even more confused as he looks at her eerily familiar face. "A friend... All that matters is that I'm here to help. Time is of the essence. Let's get started. Our goal is to have Eleanor back before dawn comes tomorrow. And failure is not an option."

Max laughs in relief, glancing up at the ceiling for a second with a shake of her head. "I guess there is a God, after all."

"Where were you?" John finally speaks, still in the living room, and only then the newly arrived man looks his way.

The two stare at each other in silence for a moment before Flint raises an eyebrow at him. "Nice to see you too."

Charles finally finds his voice again, his patience running thin. "Are we going to plan the fucking rescue or not?"

"Before anything else... I want you to answer a few questions."

He scoffs at Flint's words, anger filling his eyes. "There's no time for this bullshit, we don't know what that bastard is doing to her!"

Unfazed by the criminal's menacing look and body language, the other man simply speaks without averting his eyes. "Everyone, give us a moment."

No one complains, leaving the two men alone in the hall in a matter of seconds.

"Cut the bullshit already and let's focus on what's important, or I'll leave right now and go rescue her on my own." Charles' voice is filled with rage, hands balling up into fists and impatience clear as day on his face.

"No, you won't. Because like it or not, you know that you need my help."

The criminal clenches his jaw. "What do you want to know?"

"First of all. How are things between you and Eleanor right now? Are you two still out for each other's blood?"

After a moment's hesitation, Charles shakes his head. "We're together."

It's the first time he says this out loud. It feels weird.

In a good way.

And it looks like he managed to catch Flint off guard. His stunned silence makes a smirk tug at Charles' lips. "Something wrong?"

"I already knew you two found each other again, but... I expected things to get ugly when the memories came back."

"Why would I be so intent on saving her if-"

"Because you wouldn't be able to leave her in a dangerous situation, no matter how heavy things are between you two."

The tension in the hall only gets worse with each passing second and the criminal narrows his eyes in warning. "Are you done? That fucking idiot could be raping her right now for all we know. She needs us."

Flint's eyes soften and he sighs heavily, nodding once. "I need to know just how far you are willing to go to save her."

"As far as I have to." Charles answers immediately and it seems to be just what the other man wanted to hear.

The rest of the group comes back to the hall, approaching them carefully.

"So? What are we going to do?" Madi asks, her own impatience getting the best of her.

"We need to wait until nightfall. Going during the day is too risky. I have thought about our situation during my flight, and we have only two options here. What we really needed right now was someone from the inside. Someone who knows exactly where that bastard is keeping Eleanor, someone who could help us snatch her away from that place right under Rogers' nose, in a silent, clean and quick rescue."

Charles scoffs, shaking his head. "Where's the fun in that?

Flint looks at him again, a "no discussion" look on his face. "The  _fun_ is getting the woman you love out of her prison without endangering her safety." The criminal clenches his jaw at his words as he continues to speak. "I don't blame you for wanting to harm the governor, but if you really want to do it, you better wait until all of this is solved, when there is no chance of Eleanor getting caught in the crossfire."

The newest addition to the rescue party looks away from the criminal, his eyes settling on the con man watching him.

"Rhode Island." He says, causing John to frown in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"Earlier, you asked where I was. Rhode Island."

Disbelief flickers in the curly haired man's eyes. "You came all the way from Rhode Island, just to save Eleanor? Why are you doing this?"

A haunted look comes to Flint's eyes, and they don't fail to see the pain on his face. "My reasons are my own. Question them at your own risk."

Max rolls her eyes at their exchange, wanting to make some progress already.

"Let's focus on the rescue. You were talking about our options. While I agree that having the help of someone from inside the mansion would be our best shot, we can't count on that. There's no one. So what's our other option?"

Flint sighs heavily. "The dangerous one. Counting half on luck, and half on our intelligence. Breaking into the mansion and getting her out of there, knowing that violence will probably be needed. The chances of someone getting out of this situation hurt will be much higher. Let's just hope it will be our enemies, not us."

"What can I do?" Madi asks eagerly and he shakes his head.

"You stay here. So do the rest of you."

His words are met with indignant questions but he shows no sign of backing down. "Only Vane and I go. It wouldn't be too smart to bring a whole group into a mansion we know nothing about-"

His words are interrupted when the doorbell rings again and Scott frowns in confusion before walking over to open the door.

"Are you Mr. Scott?" The man outside asks and he nods, staring at him with questioning eyes.

"I'm here to talk to you about Miss Guthrie, she-" He doesn't get to say anything else. Charles pushes Scott aside and grabs the unfamiliar man by his neck, shoving him against a wall. It all happens so fast that he has no time to react.

"Did he send you? Where is she? She better be okay or you won't make it out of this house alive!"

He's not really aware of just how strong his grip on the man's neck is and Flint shakes his head at the scene. "Let him go. He has information. You're going to kill him like this."

The criminal shows no sign of moving a finger and Max swallows her fear before walking over to him and touching his shoulder softly. This seems to bring him back from his fit of anger and he finally releases the other man, harshly removing Max's hand from his shoulder and putting some distance between them, leaning against the wall with his back turned to the rest of the group.

The newly arrived man rubs his neck, trying to catch his breath while everyone else watched him expectantly.

"She's... She's safe. For now. I'm a servant at the mansion, and... I knew I couldn't simply watch this madness without doing anything. So I went to see her earlier today and asked her to tell me if there was anyone who could help. She gave me this address."

Flint narrows his eyes in suspicion. "And why are you doing this? How do we know we can trust you?"

Utley shakes his head with a grimace. "Woodes may have my loyalty. But I... have my moral code, and well... hitting a woman is just-"

"He hit her?!" Charles' voice is like thunder as he turns around again, eyes filled with animalistic rage while he stares at Utley. Knowing exactly what was on his mind, Flint stops in front of the door, refusing to back down and move aside as the criminal stormed over to it.

"You heard him. I won't leave her in that place for an hour longer."

The man blocking his path shakes his head, showing no sign of letting him go without a fight. "I know you're furious, and believe me, all I want is to kill that sick bastard with my own hands too, but... If we act on instinct, without any solid plans, we're doomed to fail. So try to calm down. Do this for Eleanor. Do this, and she'll soon be in your arms again, safe and sound. But if you act like a damn animal, wanting to get your revenge without using your brain..."

The criminal clenches his jaw hard, averting his eyes and looking at Utley's face. "You're just what we needed. We need someone from inside the mansion to help us with rescuing her. And I don't give a fuck if you want to do this or not, but you  _will_  cooperate. Because if you don't, I will make sure this is your last day alive."

"Charles, calm down. No need to be so harsh." Caroline's gentle, motherly voice says but the criminal merely scoffs in response, his eyes not leaving Utley's.

The other man nods, a nervous look on his handsome face. "I will help. I fear for her safety. Woodes has been... acting more and more weird with each passing day. He seems disturbed by something, and Eleanor has been putting up a fight. I can see his patience with her is running thin... But she simply refuses to back down and accept him."

Pride swells in Charles' chest and he looks over at Flint. "You heard. And we know exactly what's going on with Rogers. We need to get her out of there before he..."

_Before he gets his memories back._

The other man nods, lowering his eyes while his brain worked to come up something.

Each second feels like an eternity. And then he finally looks at Utley with a determined glint in his eyes. "Is there a fire alarm system in the mansion?"

"Yes. There is."

A half smirk comes to Flint's face and he speaks again. "Tell us everything we need to know about that place. And where exactly she's being kept."

* * *

Eleanor's blood runs cold when her captor enters the room, silently moving to stand beside her as she stared out the window, seeking some comfort in the beautiful sunset.

"What do you want?" She asks coldly but the man only chuckles.

"Is this how you treat your husband?"

"I am  _not_ your fucking wife."

He shakes his head, reaching for her hands. "You will be, soon enough. So get used to it. Why are your hands hurt?"

She tears her swollen, bruised hands away from him, wincing at the pain. Her captor frowns. "Darling, have you been punching the walls?"

_Yes._

She ignores him, as well as the tears burning in her eyes.

Eleanor refuses to cry in front of him.

"I was told you spent last night screaming nonstop. Why? You know it's useless, it will only make your throat sore. No one's coming for you, love."

She finally looks at him, eyes filled with hostility. But the sight of his face makes her heart skip a beat.

He looks more haunted and crazy each time she sees him. There are dark bags under his eyes, he's probably not sleeping well. Plagued by dreams...  _Memories._

A half smirk comes to his tired face and he touches her shoulder, his next words bringing her closer to a panic attack. "To make sure you won't hurt yourself anymore... I will now spend the nights in here with you."

Eleanor shakes her head violently, disgusted to notice how satisfied Woodes looks when he sees the fear in her eyes.

Her captor walks to the door, stopping to appreciate the sight of her despair again.

"See you tonight, wife." The words bring her a fresh wave of panic and the blonde sinks to the ground as soon as she's left alone in the room again.

Her tears finally flow freely and she grasps at her bee pendant, desperately needing some comfort.

Her heart is racing while she gets to her feet, ignoring the sharp pain in her hands as she started punching the walls again, screaming for help, hoping someone would hear...

If Eleanor wanted to be free from this place before, now she's absolutely desperate.

* * *

After spending the last two hours talking and making plans, the whole group feels tired and slightly nervous despite their renewed hope.

Spending the whole day worried seems to have taken a toll on Madi as she's now finally dozing off, her head on John's shoulder while they sat on one of the couches. The others watch while the con man gently lifts her in his arms, staring at the staircase then at her father.

"I'll... get her to bed. Do I have permission to stay with her?"

Scott narrows his eyes in warning, glaring daggers at him. "As long as you leave the door open. And I  _will_  go check up on the two of you from times to times."

The con man smirks, nodding at him and sharing one last look with Flint before making his way upstairs, Madi asleep in his arms.

Scott sighs heavily, rubbing his forehead and sharing a look with Caroline. "What I wouldn't give to make her little again. And Eleanor too."

Charles rolls his eyes at his words, looking over at Utley. "Repeat our plan. I want to make sure you won't forget any details and screw things up for us."

The man nods, a hostile look in his eyes. "We will keep in touch with each other when I go back to the mansion. You two work on the metal bars of the windows and let me know as soon as you're done. I wait until no one's around and sound the fire alarm. In the middle of the chaos you two take her from the room, following the path I told you about to get out of the mansion grounds safely. And when Woodes comes to me asking if I got Eleanor to safety, I tell him someone broke into the room and took her. Since I'm not allowed to check up on her, he won't be able to blame me. Everyone wins. Except for him, of course."

Charles sighs, shaking his head. "I still think this plan is too clean. My hands are itching for some violence."

"What's more important? Satisfying our blood thirst or getting Eleanor out of there unharmed? She's already going through hell. We need to make this as easy as possible for her." Flint reminds him again and he clenches his jaw.

"Always the voice of reason." The criminal says in a sarcastic tone, getting to his feet and heading to the door.

"Where are you going?" Caroline's tired voice asks and he looks at her over his shoulder.

"I'll just smoke outside for a while. There's only so much time I can bear being in the same room as Flint."

Instantly relieved as soon as he's alone again, Charles lights a cigarette, watching the sunset to try an calm his nerves. Anxiety is taking him over and he glances at his motorcycle, trying his best not to leave and go rescue his stubborn queen on his own.

How could he have been so stupid?

He should have figured out what had really happened before. He shouldn't have let her walk out of the hideout three days ago.

A million thoughts are running through his mind. What is she doing right now? Is she okay? Did that bastard hit her again?

Every minute feels like torture. He's ready to have her in his arms again, safe and sound. And after _this,_  there's no way he'll let her go back to her father.

He will keep her safe. Even if she hates him for it.

The door opening behind him interrupts his thoughts and he clenches his jaw, not too happy to have his quiet moment stolen from him. He just hopes it's Caroline. She's the least insufferable person among the small group.

But of course, his hopes are crushed when Utley speaks up. "I find it curious... You are clearly the strongest and most menacing one among them... And yet, you are also the one who's more worried and nervous about this whole situation... Why? You have a really deep bond with that woman, don't you?"

The criminal blows out smoke, not even glancing at the other man. But he merely chuckles, unfazed by Charles' coldness.

"I guess people really do crazy stuff when they're in love."

Clenching his jaw again, Charles lets out a heavy sigh, tossing the finished cigarette on the sidewalk while the other man continued to speak.

"Yes. It is that obvious. You love her. Just from the way Flint was talking, I realized you and her are together."

Finally looking at Utley over his shoulder, the criminal scoffs. "Why are you so interested in that? Were you hoping to have something with Eleanor once she was free, maybe?"

The other man averts his eyes, and jealousy sparks in Charles' chest.

"You can't blame me. With all due respect... She is an amazing woman. Strong, smart, and gorgeous. You're a lucky man. Really lucky."

A smirk tugs at his lips and the criminal looks at his motorcycle again, speaking in a quiet voice. "The luckiest in the world."

There's silence for a moment before Utley sighs, heading over to the car parked just a few feet away from the motorcycle. "I need to go. I'm expected back at the mansion in an hour."

Charles frowns, unable to hold back. "Check up on Eleanor when you get there. See if she's alright. And... let her know I'm coming for her. I don't want her to suffer for a minute longer. So you better do this, to reassure her. If you don't, you'll pay for it."

Utley smirks, nodding at him before driving away.

The criminal sighs, staring up at the pink and orange sky. If three centuries ago someone told him he'd be in a house with these people planning a rescue, he would have laughed at the person's face.

Fate really does work in a funny, unpredictable way.

And yes. People definitely do crazy stuff when they're in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Flint was singing in the flashback is a modified version of the Skye Boat Song, the opening theme of Outlander, another amazing show by Starz. I watched it a while ago and fell in love with the song. So when I watched episode II of Black Sails and heard the melody playing at the tavern, I couldn't stop smiling. And since then it's one of my headcanons that this was one of Eleanor's favorite songs. Because I absolutely love it.


	48. Holding Out For a Hero

"You have the tools?" Flint asks Charles as they watch the mansion from the shadows, both dressed in black from head to toe, robber's masks covering their faces.

The criminal nods, tightening his hold on the bag he had brought with him. His heart is racing, adrenaline flowing through his veins while he stares at the windows of the room Eleanor was being kept in. Just as he promised, Utley had left a piece of red fabric tied to the bars on the windows, the signal they needed to know where she was.

He's ready to just have her in his arms again already. But security men are currently walking around the back area of the mansion, so for now, they need to stay put.

He's so close, and yet he can't rescue the woman he loves yet.

It makes him fucking insane.

* * *

Eleanor's blood runs cold when the door opens and she sits up in bed, letting the portrait she found inside one of the shelves a while ago drop from her hands. She thought it was Woodes coming to make good on his promise/threat to spend the nights with her from now on. But she's filled with relief to see Utley's determined face as he quickly comes inside the room.

The blonde immediately gets to her feet, meeting him near the door.

"So? Did you talk to Mr. Scott? Is he going to do something? Please tell me I'll be free from his place before Woodes comes to stay here-"

The man chuckles. "I went to his house, yes. And Miss Guthrie, it seems you have a lot of people who love you."

She frowns at his words. "What do you mean?"

"When I arrived at the house, there was a whole rescue party making plans to save you."

A smile tugs at her lips, her heart swelling with love at this revelation as the man continues to speak. "And I think you'll be just fine. Your lover is coming for you tonight."

Disbelief flickers in her eyes, but she won't allow herself to hope before making sure...

"Charles?" It's nothing but a whisper and Utley nods.

"Yeah. That's what they were calling him. He's really determined to save you, and something tells me that man is not one to give up easily."

He's coming for her. Even though they fought, he's still coming to her rescue. But soon fear comes creeping in and she scowls. What if he's caught?

Utley seems to read her thoughts, seeing the distress in her eyes. "Don't worry. We have everything planned. So if there's anything you want to take with you, I suggest you start getting ready. Because in a few hours, you'll be away from this place, safe and sound. Free." He finishes with a smile and Eleanor lets out a soft, happy laugh, throwing her arms around his neck.

It's been a while since the last time she felt such intense happiness.

"Thank you... Thank you!"

The servant returns her hug for a moment before she realizes how out of character this is for her, stepping away from him and regaining her composure.

But then something changes in his eyes.

"Miss, earlier, you said... You wanted to be free before Woodes came to stay here? What did you mean by that?"

She sighs, glancing at the bed over her shoulder, then down at her bruised hands. "This afternoon he came here and saw that my hands were hurt from punching the walls. So he said that from now on, he plans to come spend the nights with me."

"Did he say at what time he'd come?"

"No. He didn't."

Utley grimaces, walking to the door. "I'll tell them to hurry up then. We have no time to waste."

After he leaves her alone in the room, she holds the portrait in her hands again, frowning softly. It shows a happy couple.

Woodes and Sarah. She was wearing a white and blue dress while he had a black casual shirt and blazer on, his arm around her shoulder as they posed in the harbor, the Eurydice behind them.

The short haired woman was smiling softly, but what really caught her attention in the picture was Woodes' bright smile.

She had never seen such a sincere look on his face. His white teeth are visible thanks to his wide smile, as if he was actually laughing the moment the picture was taken.

It's strange to see him like this.

Why the hell did he divorce Sarah?

They seemed so happy together.

* * *

Flint reads the text that had just arrived on his phone with a scowl, wondering how he would tell Charles about this without making him freak out.

"What is it?" The criminal asks as the security men leave the back area.

With a heavy sigh, the other man decides to simply show him Utley's message, eyes glued to the windows of Eleanor's prison.

He can practically feel the anger emanating from Charles.

The criminal clenches his jaw hard, stepping out from the shadows. "We won't wait a minute longer."

"What if the security men come back?" Flint asks, but shows no sign of trying to stop him. Instead, he follows him through the camera-free path Utley had told them about, walking between the trees until they reach the windows. Curtains were closed on the inside, keeping them from seeing the interior of the room.

Charles simply shrugs. "We both have guns with us, right? With silencers. If they come back, we take care of them. After that, we get Eleanor... and run like hell."

The edges of the metal structure containing the bars were screwed to the wall just like Utley had informed them, and this knowledge allowed them to bring the proper tools needed to remove it.

The two men work in silence, removing each one of the screws and looking around from times to times to make sure no one was nearby.

And soon, the structure comes off.

Charles stares at the closed window for a moment before looking at Flint.

"Tell Utley to sound the fire alarm."

* * *

Eleanor's eyes widen and she quickly gets up from the bed, instantly alarmed at the sudden, loud noise.

_The fire alarm._

Panic rises in her chest as she's immediately taken back to that fateful day three hundred years ago. The thought of being stuck in here while there was a fire in the mansion...

Fresh tears come to her eyes and she runs to the door, finding it locked, of course. With a frustrated whimper, she starts to bang her fists against the wood, ignoring the pain in her bruised hands.

And then the sound of one of the windows breaking behind her makes her freeze.

Slowly looking over her shoulder, she can practically hear her own heartbeat, everything seeming to happen in slow motion.

A gloved hand opens the curtains from the outside, revealing two figures dressed in black, the robber's masks not letting her see their faces.

But she would have recognized those deep, blue sea eyes anywhere.

A broken sob of relief leaves lips as the two men gesture for her to come to the window, urging her to be quick. And she's happy to obey.

One tear trails down her left cheek while her Captain and the other man, who she assumed was Jack, helped her through the window. She doesn't even glance at Jack, focusing all her attention on the trio's leader and throwing herself in his arms as soon as she's out of her prison.

In her happiness and relief, she fails to notice that instead of Jack's brown eyes, the other man had a pair of blue, familiar ones.

But she currently has her face buried in her pirate's neck, reveling in the feeling of the strong arms she missed so damn much holding her protectively.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She whispers, noticing how the other man moved away from them, probably checking to see if there was anyone around. The blonde tries hard to contain her tears while Charles runs his hand up and down her back reassuringly.

"It's ok. Everything's ok." His deep voice says in her ear, causing her to shiver. But their moment is soon broken.

"We really need to get going. There will be time for this later."

Eleanor's eyes snap open at the sound of that voice.

It wasn't Jack.

The blonde lets go of her criminal, turning around and staring at the man's exposed eyes.

Her tears win.

A quiet sob leaves her lips as she runs to Flint. The hug catches him off guard but he's quick to return it, pressing a kiss to the side of her head, tears glinting in his eyes as one of his hands cradles the back of her skull in a fatherly gesture.

"Took you long enough to notice." He says with a smirk, causing her to laugh and pull away to stare at his eyes again.

"It's really you." Happiness is written all over her face and he nods, squeezing her arms.

"Looks like you all can't spend too much time without needing me. So here I am."

She raises an eyebrow at his words, a playful look in her eyes. "I see you're still just as full of yourself as you were three centuries ago."

"And you are still just as stubborn, with a tendency to make bad decisions from times to times."

His voice and eyes are filled with affection and she gives him a bright, unguarded smile as Charles walks up to them.

"We gotta go. As soon as the chaos dies down they will realize you're gone."

She nods, letting the men guide her through the same path from earlier, safely leaving the mansion behind.

As they walk, enveloped by the shadows, her hand seeks out Charles' and she intertwines her fingers with his, sensing how surprised he is at the gesture.

And honestly, she is too.

But right now all she wants is to be as close to the criminal as she possibly can.

They soon leave the trees behind, finding the street, letting Flint lead them to the black car parked in the distance.

"I don't know where you two are going after this, but first we must go to Scott's house. Caroline is worried sick about you, and so is Max. Also, Vane's motorcycle is still there."

Charles sighs heavily. He forgot about that. It's frustrating. He was eager to just take Eleanor to the hideout so they could spend the next few hours locked in his room, enjoying each other again.

"Always thinking everything through before anyone else does. Old habits die hard." The criminal says in a sarcastic tone, causing Eleanor to bump his shoulder lightly.

Flint looks back at them over his shoulder to retort, but upon catching sight of the couple's hands locked together, he simply smirks at Charles. "Indeed."

The blonde chuckles briefly as they reach the car, watching Flint get in the driver's seat. Sharing a look with her pirate, they communicate without words.

He knows exactly what she wants.

They both get in the backseat, neither wanting to be separated. The older man glances at them over his shoulder with a frown before rolling his eyes and starting the car, clearly not too happy to be a third wheel. "If you two start making out in there I will stop the car and throw you out."

"Shut up and drive." Eleanor tells him with a happy glint in her eyes before offering Charles a soft smile, hoping it will let him see just how grateful she is for what they did.

Sighing softly, the blonde lays her head on his shoulder, letting him pull her legs onto his lap and hold her closer.

The criminal presses a kiss to the side of her head and she closes her tired eyes, reveling in his scent and the safety of his arms.

They don't let go of each other for a second of the car ride.

* * *

As soon as the three walk inside the house, Caroline, Max and Mr. Scott come running into the hall, relief filling their eyes.

Letting go of Charles' hand, Eleanor goes to them, letting them both hug her at the same time.

Her long lost mother. Her father figure.

_Her family._

"Thank you. Both of you." She hears Scott say to the two men standing near the front door.

"Did they hurt you, sweetheart?" Caroline asks and the blonde pulls away from them, shaking her head. She watches as her daughter accepts Max's brief hug, nodding at her quick, whispered words of reassurance before pulling away. Clearly, she still has a few issues with accepting comfort and physical contact from anyone other than Charles.

It breaks the medium's heart. But at least she's improving a little.

Eleanor glances at the criminal over her shoulder, moving closer to him almost automatically. She really doesn't want any distance between them right now. And once she's at his side again, he grabs one of her hands, examining it with a scowl. "I didn't notice it before. What happened, why are they hurt and swollen like this?"

The blonde shakes her head. "I did it to myself. I was desperate, so I kept punching the walls when panic got the best of me."

His eyes cloud over as he stands there at her side, softly caressing and massaging her bruised hands. And then he speaks in a quiet voice only for her to listen. "I was hoping you would say you punched the governor."

_Like you punched me._

She can see the unsaid words in his eyes, her heart clenching. Lowering her eyes with a sigh, she tries to ignore the pain brought by the memory of that day in the cell.

"You two can sleep in the guest room instead of going all the way back to the hideout. The door stays open though." Scott says with a half smile and she glances up at him, the criminal shaking his head.

"No. We'll go back to the hideout. There's a chance the governor will come here once he realizes she's gone. He knows how close Eleanor is to you and your daughter."

Caroline chuckles. "He's right, Scott. And come on. You know these two must be desperate for some alone time after everything that happened."

Both Scott and Flint roll their eyes at her words, clearly uncomfortable. They look just like two fathers needing to accept their daughter's first boyfriend.

And it's so fucking adorable that Eleanor's heart instantly fills with affection.

When they get on the motorcycle, after assuring everyone back at the house that the rescued woman was truly okay, the blonde feels ready to fall asleep.

Charles notices, reaching to squeeze her hand from times to times to make sure would stay awake until they made it back to the hideout. Thankfully, Jack and Anne are asleep when they finally get to their destination, and the couple silently makes their way to the criminal's room.

With a sigh, Eleanor lays down on his bed, eyes closed while he watched her with a half smile, shrugging off the black leather jacket. She opens her eyes just in time to see him pull the black shirt over his head, the sight of his exposed upper body sending a wave of heat straight to her core despite her exhaustion.

She suddenly makes a disgusted face, quickly getting rid of her clothes and throwing them as far as she can.

"What did the poor clothes do to you?" Charles asks, amusement clear in his tone while he got in bed beside her, eyes raking over her naked body.

She shakes her head, meeting his eyes. "These are the clothes Woodes gave me, back at the mansion. And I know it may sound silly, but... I feel uncomfortable wearing the clothes provided by him. It reminds me of the past. About how much things changed, how much  _I_  changed, after I started wearing those damn dresses. So now, I'd rather walk the streets naked than wearing a single garment he gives me. It's stupid, isn't it?"

Charles reaches for her bruised hands, massaging them softly. "No. It's not stupid."

She moves closer, sighing in satisfaction when her naked body meets the exposed, warm skin of his chest and abdomen. The criminal holds her close, fingers trailing down her back and leaving goosebumps in their wake. Her eyes fall closed as she presses a kiss to his birthmark.

"Get some sleep. You need rest."

She looks up at his face with a soft scowl, probably not finding the idea of sleeping too appealing at the moment.

He gives her a half smirk. "Just for a while. It's not even 10 p.m. yet. We have the whole night."

_The whole week._

_The whole month._

"I will just rest my eyes for a few minutes then."

He nods, smirking, already knowing what would be the outcome of this.

And sure enough, not even a minute passes before she's asleep in his arms, the peaceful look on her face making his heart feel a lot lighter, all the tension of the last few hours evaporating.

It's amazing, how the knowledge that she's safe is enough to make Charles feel as if everything's just perfect in the world.

* * *

She wakes up alone in the bed.

Glancing over at the window, Eleanor sees it's still dark outside. She searches for her phone, only to remember it was gone and groan in frustration, wishing she could tell the time just by looking at the sky, like Charles.

She'll need to ask him to teach her.

Where is he, by the way?

The clothes Woodes gave her are gone, she's still naked. So going in search of the criminal is probably not a good idea. She's not looking forward to walking out of this room and risking Jack or Anne seeing her like this.

So she waits, slightly nervous, unable to stop wondering where Charles could have possibly gone in the middle of the damn night.

Or why he didn't wake her up to tell her about it.

She's starting to get angry when the door of the room finally opens and the criminal steps inside, closing it behind him. She scowls at him but he merely watches her, amusement filling his eyes while he walks to the bed, dropping the bag he had in his hands on the mattress.

"Where the fuck did you go?" Eleanor asks in a harsh tone and he raises an eyebrow, reaching to brush her hair behind her ear.

"Look inside the bag and you'll have your answer." His grave voice says and she glances at the dark bag for a moment before looking up at his face again, her blue-green eyes filled with suspicion.

"Please tell me there is not a severed head in there."

He simply shrugs, watching her with an almost imperceptible smirk on his face. "Only one way to find out."

The blonde sighs heavily at his words and amused half smirk before a wicked glint comes to her eyes. Trying hard not to smile, she gets on her hands and knees to move closer to the bag, trying to make it look like a perfectly innocent action.

The criminal clenches his jaw at the sight, watching her naked body, illuminated by the moonlight filtering in through the window. He needs to take a deep breath to keep himself from just reaching for her already.

Eleanor sits on her knees and unzips the bag slowly, afraid of what she would find inside. Though she'd never admit it out loud.

But her fear melts away when she sees the contents of the bag and her heart flutters.

Some of her favorite clothes.

Charles went to her father's mansion and got them for her.

The blonde looks over at him with a soft smile, silent gratitude shining in her eyes as she moves to the edge of the mattress, getting to her feet and kissing the criminal's lips.

"I also brought the knife Scott gave you. I know how important it is to you." He says, fingers touching her chin when she pulls away, an unguarded smile on her face.

"Thank you." It's just a barely audible whisper, and she turns around to take another look at the clothes.

"I imagine you want to know everything that happened back at Woodes' mansion while-"

Her words are interrupted when a strong arm wraps around her waist from behind, a smile tugging at her lips as her rescuer pulls her to him, her naked back pressed to the leather of his jacket.

"Not before I taste every single inch of you."

The words make her breath catch, her legs feeling like jelly while his hands moved over her exposed stomach.

Her eyes fall closed for a moment, but then an idea forms in her brain.

"I hardly see how that's fair..." She says in a low tone, turning around in his arms before unzipping the leather jacket and pushing it off his shoulders, pleased to see he hadn't even bothered with a shirt.

Meeting his questioning eyes, she gives him a smirk, hands moving lower to undo his jeans. "...when you're the one who did all the hard work earlier, with your dashing rescue and everything."

His eyes are locked with hers and dark with desire as she slowly drops to her knees

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love the way you feel in my hand?" She asks quietly, glancing up at his face, one of his hands caressing her hair. "Smooth... warm."

Encouraged by his sigh of satisfaction when she grips him a bit tighter, her hand moving up and down his length, the blonde finally leans forward.

She's unable to contain a moan when she lets her tongue dart out to taste that all too familiar, delicious saltiness. A low growl leaves the criminal's lips as her tongue teasingly circles the head.

Apparently he's growing impatient, his hand tightening in her hair, urging her.

And while she usually loves to tease him, tonight her gratitude speaks louder.

So she takes him in her mouth as deep as she can, reveling in the sounds he makes as her hand caresses what her mouth is unable to reach, the slight pain at the back of her head due to his strong grip on her hair only serving to spur her on.

His eyes fall closed for a moment and he clenches his jaw, trying hard to cling to his self control as she hollows her cheeks, sucking hard before letting her tongue run over his length.

The sensation is just too wonderful. Feeling her warm, perfect mouth on him, something he never thought he'd experience again when he watched her from the other side of that gate all those years ago.

His eyes stare down at her in wonder, and the pirate is absolutely sure this is one of his favorite sights. Seeing her on her knees, completely naked, mouth and hands working him, teasing, touching him in every way she  _knows_  is enough to make him crazy. And she's so fucking  _beautiful._

He knows she wants to do all the work tonight, as she herself said, he knows she wants him to come undone under the ministrations of her tongue, lips and hands, and he has every intention of fulfilling her wish.

But all his resolve is lost when he sees her free hand slip between her thighs so she can touch herself.

With a low growl, Charles tightens his grip in her hair even more, pulling her to her feet. For a split second he sees the annoyance flashing in her eyes. But then the criminal spins them around, sitting on the edge of the mattress and pulling her down on his lap.

She cries out at the feeling of him inside her and he's pleasantly surprised to feel just how wet she is, unable to contain himself.

"Does it make you wet to suck your captain's cock?"

He feels her tremble at his words, her breath catching as he grasps a handful of her hair again, close to her scalp, pulling to make her angle her head before proceeding to leave a trail of bites and open mouthed kisses along that pale, lovely, exposed neck.

His free hand squeezes her ass, guiding her movements. A smirk comes to his lips as he lets go for a moment and slaps it, hard. And she wants to be angry, but it just felt so damn good.

All the sensations mixed together are too much. When his grip gets stronger, pulling her against his lap in a rough manner, she knows she's close.

Just like him.

His sinful grunt right next to her ear do her in, his release triggering hers as she gasps out his name.

They hear a distant scoff, a blush coming to Eleanor's face when she realizes they probably woke his accomplices up. Damn the thin walls of the hideout.

But it doesn't matter. Not when they're so close to each other, the blonde still straddling Charles' lap while he lets go of her hair and runs his hands up and down her back, both of them trying to catch their breath.

She suddenly hits his chest, trying to look disappointed but failing miserably.

"I told you to leave all the work to me. Was hoping you would just..."

He lets out a brief, dark chuckle, his thumb caressing her lower lip. "Next time."

Eleanor narrows her eyes at him for a moment before sighing, unable to contain her happy smile. Charles lays down on the mattress, pulling her with him and holding her close as their heartbeat slowly returns to normal.

"Now talk. What exactly happened back at the mansion? What did that bastard do to you?" His grave voice cuts the peaceful silence and she meets his eyes.

"After our fight that day, I went back to my father's mansion. Woodes and Mason were there. He... found out your name, somehow. Someone talked. He told me I'd be taken to his mansion, I tried to fight. I... reached for my father, begged for his help. And he ignored me. Turned his back on me."

Her voice breaks.

And for what feels like the 1000th time, he wants to murder Richard.

Well, the 1000th time in this life, of course.

Charles squeezes her shoulder in silent support, listening to her words closely.

"They injected me with some sedative. Then I woke up 10 hours later, already at the room where you and Flint found me. I learned that... they did something, while I was passed out."

She feels the way Charles tenses up, tightening his protective hold on her. "What? Did they touch you?"

She takes a deep breath, not sure how he would react to this. "They... took a blood sample. To find out if I was pregnant or not."

The criminal frowns, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Pregnant?"

There's silence for a moment before Charles speaks again. "What was the result?"

"Negative."

"I see." He says, staring up at the ceiling.

Tears burn in her eyes.

"Woodes said he wanted to know if there was an unwanted presence in my womb. Because he knew about us. I think..." She needs a moment to fight against the tears, taken aback at how much pain this is causing... Suddenly it's so disturbing to think about what could have happened. "...I think that... If the test results were positive, he would have wanted to force me into having an abortion."

The criminal meets her troubled eyes again, not sure how to react to the things she was saying.

But hell, he's angry as fuck.

The governor dared to take her blood while she slept, to find out if there was a child growing inside her,  _their_ child. This was none of his business, and yet he did it anyway. And not only that, but he also had plans of forcing her to get rid of  _their_  child against her will.

_Fucking monster._

He clenches his jaw, surprised to see just how much these thoughts affected him.

And as absurd as it is, he feels even worse now for not finding out about the kidnapping earlier. Because Eleanor could have been forced to abort their baby.

Even though he knows she was not pregnant, it still makes him crazy to think about this. That fucking monster could have killed  _their child..._

"Charles?"

He comes back to reality, seeing her blue-green eyes watching his face in a questioning way.

"What are you thinking right now?" She asks quietly and the criminal shakes his head.

"If that blood test had come back positive... What would you have done?"

His question catches her off guard and she stays silent for a moment before finally speaking in a voice even more determined than usual. "I would have fought to protect our child. I would kill Woodes if I had to... I would have done anything."

Her honesty pleases him. And if they were a normal couple, right now they could start a whole conversation about kids. They could jokingly discuss baby names, and make plans about how many they wanted.

He could teasingly say he wanted at least eight, to which she would answer it was fine by her, as long as he was the one who'd give birth and suffer with morning sickness.

They could simply make plans.

But of course, they are far from a normal couple.

Hell, they're still having some trouble dealing with their feelings for each other, now that everything was out in the open, now that they were finally actually trying this whole relationship thing.

So what on earth would they do with a baby? If they're still trying to find the best way to deal with their love for each other, after spending so long trying to ignore it or keep it locked away.

Both of them are thinking the same thing as they lay there in the darkness of the room, silence stretching.

"By the way... I'll need the birth control pills. Woodes was at least kind enough to take mine to the mansion. I already took one tonight, shortly before the rescue, but it was the last one."

The criminal nods, fingers caressing her shoulder. "You take the same ones Anne does. I'll just gently ask Jack to leave and go get some for you in the morning."

She raises an eyebrow. "'Gently', huh?"

"Let's just say I'll leave him no choice." There's a hint of amusement in his grave voice and Eleanor chuckles, shaking her head before she suddenly shivers at an unwelcome thought. "Shit. Just to think I could be at the mansion right now... with  _him_  sleeping by my side."

A disturbing image comes to the criminal's mind and he pulls her impossibly closer.

"You think he'd rape you?"

The blonde stiffens in his arms for a moment before shaking her head. "No. He wouldn't be capable of doing such a thing. I know him."

Charles scoffs at her words. "Do you? Really?"

She sighs in defeat. "Well... I thought I did. But this would be too much, even for him... He would never touch me like that against my will."

She only realizes how this sounds after the words have already left her mouth. Charles clenches his jaw, shaking his head in disbelief. "How can you still defend him after what happened?"

Eleanor props herself up on an elbow, looking him in the eyes. "I'm not defending him. I'm merely stating a fact, that's all."

He looks away, not seeming to be convinced and she sighs, moving to straddle his hips. Her hands move up his abdomen and she smirks when he meets her eyes again. "Let's not fight. At least not now. We just got reunited. So can we please simply enjoy this for now?"

And they do. They forget about the world.

About everything.

In fact, they only realize it's already the afternoon when there's a knock on the door of the room and Jack's voice reaches their ears.

"You do know you two need to get out of this room at some point, right? To eat? You know, to stay alive?"

Charles rolls his eyes and the blonde tries not to laugh, sitting up in bed.

"Hate to say it, but he's right. And I need a shower."

A wicked glint comes to the criminal's eyes and he gets to his feet. "I'll keep you company. To make sure you won't slip on the wet tile floor."

She raises an eyebrow at his words, trying to fake a stern look though she just can't stop smiling at him. They dress in silence and Eleanor does her best to ignore Jack and Anne's eyes on them as they leave the room and make their way to the bathroom together.

The redhead scoffs. "You've gotta be kidding me."

A blush comes to the blonde's cheeks as they reach their destination and the smile refuses to leave her face while she watches her pirate locking the door.

Only after 40 minutes in the shower they manage to actually wash themselves, though they're not really able to stop touching each other.

Neither of them has a word of complaint though.

* * *

"Is she stayin' with us now?" Anne asks, not bothering to try hiding her displeasure.

Charles shoots her a warning look while he and Eleanor get something to eat, Jack watching them from his place at the table.

The blonde sighs and meets the other woman's eyes, not wanting to back down.

"For a while. Until I figure out what I'm going to do next. It's not like I can go back to the mansion."

The redhead scoffs. "Don't you two idiots realize that soon there will be news all over the city, saying that the sole heir to the Guthrie Trading Company's been kidnapped? Do you have an idea how much attention it will draw if she's seen with us?"

Eleanor shakes her head, chin raised in a show of defiance. "This won't happen. Woodes isn't stupid. He won't make this public. Because he and my father know that there's a chance I'll bite back and tell the media about what happened. It would give them hell. I have no doubt they will try to get me back, but it will be silently. Maybe he'll hire Mrs. Hudson to look for me. I don't know. All I know is that they won't be stupid enough to alert the media."

"Hate to say it, darling, but she's right." Jack's tired voice says and he grimaces at the nasty look his partner gives him. It's that "keep talking and you'll spend another month sleeping on the couch" look.

Anne focuses her attention back on the couple. Even she is surprised to see how they're acting, staying so close to each other all the time.

"I just hope you know what you're doing." She says in a bitter tone, meeting their leader's eyes. "I really hope that you thought this through with your upper head too, not just the lower one."

Jack sighs, shifting uncomfortably in the chair while Charles lets out a low growl of warning.

Eleanor raises an eyebrow at the little brute's words, looking over at Jack. He shakes his head. "It only gets worse. You've been warned."

Surprisingly, she can't stop herself from smirking.

And later, when she's laying down in bed, perfectly safe in her Captain's arms, listening to his calm breathing as he sleeps, hearing Jack and Anne fight in the other room and knowing she won't have to be separated from Charles once morning comes... Eleanor can't bring herself to regret any of this. It simply feels so right.

This is the path she should have chosen three hundred years ago.

Now, she will fix that fatal mistake from the past.

And nothing in the world will make her change her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I think there will be like 10 chapters, more or less, before this fic is complete. BUT, the story itself is still far from over. There will be a sequel, I just don't know what I will name it yet.
> 
> So much will happen, and I didn't want to write everything in the same fic, or this thing would get too damn huge.


	49. My Father's Eyes

"Another perfect crime. No suspects. No witnesses. And the money we got from it is more than enough to keep all of us alive and comfortable for more than a year... including our new housemate." Jack says with a proud smirk, watching as his leader smokes a cigarette. "However, I know that you and Anne will probably be itching for some action in a month or even less, so like always, we'll take unnecessary risks again."

"We don't even know if we'll still be in this city in a month. Or even in this country."

Jack shrugs, just as Eleanor emerges from Charles' room in a white blouse and a dark blue skirt. The blouse is tucked into the skirt, and with her small brown boots, the outfit looks kinda like a modern version of the ones she used to wear three hundred years ago.

To top it all off, she has her hair in a stylish braid instead of just wearing it loose like she usually does in this new life.

Apparently, she's feeling nostalgic today.

Jack sees the way his leader's eyes light up when he sees her, a smirk tugging at his lips as she comes over to the table. The criminal extinguishes his cigarette before getting to his feet and she smiles at him.

"Okay, I'm leaving. I'll probably stay there for the next couple hours, so don't worry if I take a while to come back."

"You sure you don't want me to give you a ride with the motorcycle?"

She shakes her head, locking her hands behind his neck with a bright smile.

Jack didn't fail to notice this woman has been smiling too much since their leader rescued her. It's strange to see her like this.

"It's only four streets away. I think I'll make it." She says before closing the distance between her and Charles.

Jack groans in annoyance as his leader pulls her closer, one hand tugging at the white blouse in an attempt to untuck it from the skirt.

"I'm still here, guys." He says with a grimace, causing the blonde to pull away from her pirate with a brief chuckle.

Charles sighs, touching her chin. "I still think you shouldn't go."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm just going over to Max and Idelle's place so Flint and I can catch up. We have a lot to talk about. What's the worst that can happen? You worry too much."

She smirks, touching the tip of her nose to his in a teasing gesture before stepping out of his embrace.

"By the way, if you could please do something about that fucking mess in your dresser, that would be great. It's driving me insane."

The criminal rolls his eyes at her words, nodding anyway, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Anything for you, lady Honeypot." He teases, and it's her turn to roll her eyes as she walks out the front door.

Charles sighs one last time before going back to the table and reaching for his cigarette pack. He glances at Jack, finding his accomplice watching him with a half smirk on his face.

" _Anything for you_ '." Jack says in a mocking tone, flinching away when his leader surges forward as if to hit him.

* * *

Pure, raw anger is taking over him.

He's frustrated as hell.

It's been two days since Eleanor was taken from the mansion right under his nose, and he has yet to tell Richard.

It's a good thing the man's a dead beat father. He hasn't called even once to ask about his daughter.

And the only reason Rogers didn't send anyone looking for her yet is because there's something really strange going on with him. He's faking a sickness, staying locked in his room for the past two days. His head feels ready to explode, he can't sleep. Ever since what happened two days ago, the weird feelings got even worse.

There's such a strong pull on his mind. As if what happened somehow awakened something buried deeply in his subconscious.

The moment he heard the fire alarm sound, he simply knew his fiancée was gone. There was the threat of a fire... And then she was taken from him.

Fire... She's gone...

Fire.

_She was with child._

_**Their** child._

He gets out of bed, gripping his head tightly while stumbling in the dark to his bathroom, torn between the reality and the images that kept flashing in his mind.

His wife.

_I'm sorry._

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he barely recognizes himself, the crazed look in his own eyes making his blood run cold.

Ned's voice echoes in his head.

_"The man's name... Is Charles."_

_I'm sorry._

Another wave of intense pain in his head makes him cry out in agony, squeezing his eyes shut, images of a dark cell flashing behind his eyelids.

_Her._

_"You want to civilize Nassau? That is the only name you need concern yourself with."_

The same name.

Those sickening blue eyes and long, dark hair.

A fight near a ruined carriage.

**_I'm sorry._ **

Suddenly the images change, a different scenario playing in his mind.

Ships, explosions...

Mason's dead body...

His brother? Dead?

Rogers looks at the mirror again, inspecting his own face.

_There's something missing._

His eyes go to the small scissor resting on the countertop, his shaky hand reaching for it automatically.

He feels as if he's merely watching his own actions from afar, bringing the sharp blade to his face and slowly cutting a gash on his left cheek.

Barely hissing in pain, he lets the scissor drop from his hand once he's done.

As the blood flows, trailing down his chin and falling to the countertop, Rogers stares at the deep cut on his cheek.

And something inside him snaps.

It feels just like when you wake up after a night of heavy drinking. A sudden influx of memories, images and moments making your headache worse.

Memories that seem like those of another person. Actions you don't really recognize as your own.

_Memories._

From another life.

He walks back into his room on unsteady feet, only two thoughts in his confused brain.

Tear the lovers apart...

Recover what belongs to  _him._

* * *

"So... you knew all along? You always remembered?" Eleanor asks with a frown, watching Flint's face as they sat on the couch in Max's living room.

He nods, sighing heavily. "I did. And it was a curse."

There's silence for a moment, the only sound was Idelle's soft snoring as she slept in an armchair not far from them.

"I watched you." He finally says, meeting her eyes. "After you were born, I stayed in LA for a few years, watching over you."

The man reaches into one of his pockets before showing her a photograph.

A smile plays on her lips as she looks at her 7 year old self, walking out of the school.

Her fingers trace the picture and she looks up at him when he speaks again.

"I took it from across the street, shortly before I left the city. I knew your life would be a hard one. Since you had to pay for the things you did. I could see you were suffering already, and it was getting harder and harder for me, needing to hold back, to keep myself from helping you. And I knew I couldn't intervene. But I at least wanted to make sure you were safe. Only after I made sure Scott wouldn't stop working at the mansion, I left, coming back only once, when you were nine, to check up on you. After that, I stayed away from LA."

Eleanor frowns, finally voicing the question that has been on her mind ever since she heard Flint's voice back at the mansion, shortly after her rescue.

"Why?"

"Why did I leave?" He asks and she narrows her eyes at him.

"You know what I'm asking. Don't avoid the question. Why do you care so damn much? Why did you come all the way from Rhode Island to save me?"

He sighs, shaking his head.

And she knows there's a long story coming.

After a few moments of hesitation, Flint finally begins to speak.

"I was born into a really wealthy family in this life. My parents owned large wine farms and even a cruise ship. It was called  _The Dahlia_. Lame, right?" He scoffs and she smiles, her eyes encouraging him to keep talking.

And he does. "From the moment I learned how to talk, I'd keep saying things about battles at the sea, and death... Among other 'nice' subjects. My parents were mortified, to say the least, so they sought help. With time, I learned I had to lie, to say I was better, to stop talking about that stuff. And I did. After this, life got better... In parts. I didn't have to deal with all that bullshit of seeing various psychologists. My parents didn't look at me as if I was crazy anymore. You see, I had no idea where those memories came from. I thought I was actually insane sometimes. And as the time passed, as I kept telling myself that all that stuff about pirates and all that shit was nothing but my imagination playing tricks on me... I eventually started to believe it. Until my parents died in a car accident."

Eleanor raises her eyebrows, offering him a soft look. But he averts his eyes, continuing his story. "My aunt raised me until I was of legal age. And during that time I decided to just try and find out more about those memories I had tried to lock away. I discovered spiritism. Reincarnation. I knew then, that it was my case. After that, I fully connected with the person I had been three hundred years ago. The wine farms had no value to me, I sold them all. But the ship..."

He smirks, meeting her eyes again. "I renamed her. She's  _The Walrus_  now, and for some time I simply traveled. With no destination. No perspective of the future. Eleanor... You don't know what it's like to spend your whole life torn between the person you were before and the one you are in the present. It destroys you from the inside. You have no idea what it felt like, after I accepted who I was. Suddenly finding yourself in a whole new world, where everything you knew and loved doesn't exist anymore. The life you knew before... The people you knew... Everything. All gone. I was completely numb. I didn't know what to do with my life. There was only one thought in my head."

He stops talking then and the blonde frowns when she sees the tears glinting in his eyes, though he's trying hard to hide them.

After a few moments he gets a hold on his emotions, speaking again in a haunted, empty voice. "There was... someone I was hoping to find. Someone from the past life. I looked for him for two years nonstop. And one day, my searches led me to London. I found his family. His parents. And you know what happened?" A bitter, pained look comes to his eyes as he looks at her face again. "They told me he was gone. The man I loved... is dead. He died shortly before I arrived in London, victim of some homophobic gang. Those monsters murdered him."

Eleanor swallows hard, tears filling her eyes. The complicity between them is even stronger now. For a moment she thinks about their community.

Over the years, the LGBT have conquered so much, and yet this still happens. They are still murdered simply for being themselves.

The blonde reaches for Flint's hand, squeezing it softly. His pain is her own.

He lost his love.

But she lost a fellow member of their community. As Max taught her years ago, every single time one of them falls victim to homophobia, the whole community feels the pain.

They are one big family.

For a moment it seems as if Flint will pull his hand away from hers, but then he simply lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his forehead. "After this tragedy... I went back to the sea. Part of me died, all over again. I couldn't accept the fact that I would need to go through this pain all over again, I kept thinking... If only I found his family sooner. He could be with me, I would have kept him safe from those bastards. He could be with me on  _the Walrus,_  but no. I kept asking myself why that was happening to me. Was I paying for my sins? In the previous life... Was I really such a monster?"

He meets her eyes and she immediately shakes her head, watching as Max silently walked to the couch.

"No. You weren't. A monster wouldn't have offered me comfort while I was dying. A monster wouldn't be able to love so deeply." Eleanor tells him just as Max brings a hesitant hand to his shoulder. He looks up at her face with a frown.

The woman offers him a soft smile. "Sorry. But I heard part of your story. Your pain is our own. Life has gotten so much better for our community recently, but... Our fight is still far from over. We must unite. Together, we will always be stronger. And soon, what happened to the man you loved will not happen anymore. We will fight. And we will win."

Eleanor smiles warmly at her friend, reaching to squeeze her free hand as Flint looked up at her face in silence for a few moments before finally giving her a nod.

She smiles at him again before meeting the blonde's eyes. "I'll go shopping for groceries. Please feel free to stay for as long as you need."

Eleanor nods, watching as her friend walked out the front door.

"So... what about the rest of the story?" She asks and the man sighs.

"I felt so empty after what happened. Devastated. I had no purpose. So I started to search for other people from our past. I desperately needed something familiar. When I stumbled upon information about a big Trading Company owned by a Guthrie family, something inside me snapped. There's a secret I've kept to myself for a long time. I felt guilty for your death."

She frowns at his words and he shakes his head, keeping her eyes. "Soon, I found out Richard Guthrie and his wife were expecting a baby girl. I just knew it was you, coming back too. You were due in two months at the time of my discovery. In the middle of all the pain and the darkness, for some reason this gave me a sliver of hope. Of light. So two months later I docked the ship and left for LA. I saw you through the nursery glass. I held you in my arms." A smile tugs at his lips and she's surprised to see the tears glinting in his eyes, a nostalgic look on his face. "Those moments felt so right. Like that was my fate. In that moment, while I watched your face, while you slept in my arms... I felt as if you were my anchor. That gave me purpose. Something to hold on to. You."

Her heart swells with love at his words. But soon sadness comes to her eyes. "This isn't fair. Vane and I got a second chance to be together. So why can't you be with the man you love too? This is so fucking unfair."

He shakes his head, forcing a smile. "I've made peace with it years ago, Eleanor. Don't worry."

She narrows her eyes at him. "I know you. You're lying."

Flint sighs heavily. "I forgot how insufferable you can be sometimes."

She smirks at him. "Well, some things never change."

He nods, unable to stop smiling at her. "What about you? What has your life been like this time?"

Eleanor proceeds to tell him about her childhood, about how Richard always shut her out, about everything she had to endure on her own. She ends up even telling him about the cuts, though she's quick to assure him that she's now recovering from the habit.

He frowns, pain flickering in his eyes. "What happened to help you stop the self harm?"

She smiles. "Vane found me."

It amazes him, how she admits this so quickly, without any hesitance. She's definitely different now.

"You're making some serious progress in this life, Eleanor. This is good. I'm proud of you."

The words go straight to her heart and she's surprised to see just how much they affect her, unable to contain the lone tear that trails down her cheek.

Trying to understand the reason behind such a reaction, she quickly finds the answer.

These are the words she always wanted to hear from her father.

Flint smiles at her again. "It feels  _so_  strange to say this, to have this conversation, but... I'm glad to see you two together and happy. I know there's no one else in this world who can protect you better than he does. So I'm glad you found each other again, and that you worked things out. But I never really had a doubt this would happen sooner or later. Fate just can't leave the two of you alone."

The blonde smiles softly, shaking her head. "You're right."

"And what are your plans now? You do know you'll probably have to leave this place in order to be free to be with him. Your father and Rogers will be looking for you soon."

Eleanor sighs heavily. "I've been thinking about it. I'm not sure if I'm ready to leave here. When the memories came back, I was so happy to have my father again. I thought we could start over, be a family. It hurts like hell to think that I must leave him. Though what he did to me... Turning his back to me and letting those two monsters kidnap his own daughter..."

Her voice breaks and Flint hesitates before moving a reassuring hand to her shoulder. "That man is not your father. You don't need him. He doesn't deserve the honor it is to have you as a daughter. Just think about that. You have Scott. He's your real father. The one who cares about you. And, well... You also have me."

She looks up at his face, the sincere look in his eyes causing another tear to roll down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her eyes close as he cradles the back her head.

And in this moment, she feels so safe. But it's a different kind of safety than the one she feels with Charles.

This feels more like when you get lost somewhere as a child, then you're so relieved when your parents find you...

And Eleanor would be lying if she said she never wanted to have this man as her father, back in her previous life.

She would be lying if she said she didn't look up to him, admiring him and seeing him as a hero.

Of course the hug doesn't last for too long. After a moment she pulls away, offering him a smile before getting to her feet. "I should go. It's been more than two hours. Charles will be worried. And besides... I don't know, I just..."

"You don't want to be away from him for too long." Flint finishes with a smirk. "It's ok. I know the feeling."

The blonde shrugs, eyes shining with happiness. "This... feels good. I should have just allowed myself to feel this before."

He smirks at her, but then something on her upper leg catches his eyes and he frowns in concern at the round, purplish mark a few inches above her knee, barely covered by the skirt. "What's this, are you hurt?"

Eleanor glances down at her leg, a blush coming to her cheeks when she sees the hickey the criminal left last night.

Feeling like a teenager caught by her dad, she shrugs. "I'm okay, I just bumped my leg against the bedside table."

A now awake Idelle scoffs from the armchair. "Yeah. The bedside table is called Charles, by the way."

The blonde glares daggers at her but she simply winks at her, getting to her feet and walking to the kitchen.

Flint clears his throat, uncomfortable as hell and Eleanor bites her lower lip, trying hard to keep herself from laughing as she makes her way over to the front door.

"Eleanor?" The man calls and she pauses, looking at him over her shoulder.

He offers her a half smile. "There's something I've been waiting three centuries to tell you."

She raises an eyebrow in curiosity and after a moment Flint finally speaks again. "Yes. It was all Rogers' fault."

A few seconds pass as they watch each other before she smirks. "I know."

With a wink, the blonde steps outside, closing the door behind her and taking a deep breath.

Her heart feels so light.

For some reason she's just so happy.

For a moment she feels like taking a long walk around the neighborhood, but it's starting to get dark and she's ready to be in Charles' arms again already.

With that in mind, she lets her impatience win, taking a shortcut to the hideout, walking through an old, abandoned building. She soon reaches the other side of it, a secluded, hidden spot, only accessible by one street. It's a little creepy, to be honest.

A shiver runs down her spine, her smile finally dropping.

There's something wrong.

Trying to ignore her fear, she picks up her pace, wanting nothing more than to be with her pirate again.

But the sound of tires screeching behind her makes her stop in her tracks and she quickly turns around, hoping,  _praying_  it wasn't who she was thinking.

But her hopes are crushed.

Her heart beats wildly as the silver Range Rover comes to a stop and Rogers steps out, looking at her with a frown.

Eleanor feels her blood run cold when she looks at his left cheek and sees the fresh cut there. He cleaned it up, but there's still some dried blood on his skin.

The blonde knows enough about self-harm to guess that he probably used a scissor.

Just like she used to do before turning to the small blades.

By the look in his eyes and the cut resembling the one he had in the past, she just knows.

He remembers everything.

And it seems he's not dealing too well with the conflicting memories. The look on his face is... almost crazy.

As if he's trying to repress some of the memories, to lie to himself...

Right now, seeing the sick way her ex-husband is staring at her, Eleanor is really starting to doubt her own words, when she said he'd never be able to rape her.

She's in danger.

Serious danger.

Her brain races to come up with a way out of this situation but in a matter of seconds the blonde realizes she's stuck.

She can't run back to the hideout, she can't lead Rogers straight to her pirate. And he has a car. He would be able to catch her in a heartbeat.

Acting on instinct, she pulls out the phone Charles gave her last night with trembling hands as the man begins to make his way over to her.

Maybe Charles won't know how to find her. Maybe it's useless.

But it's her only hope.

Rogers is only a few feet away from her, his cruel smirk making her heart beat wildly as she sends the message.

_"SAIL."_


	50. Lost Devotion

_Trigger warning: This chapter contains an attempted rape scene. Nothing too graphic, but I wanted to warn you all anyway._

**_Los Angeles_ **

**_2 years ago_ **

_Sarah feels her heart breaking in a million pieces as her husband lets go of her hand. Glancing over at him, she sees the way he's clenching his jaw, shaking his head lightly and refusing to meet her eyes._

_The doctor sitting at the other side of the table sighs, offering the couple a sympathetic smile._

_"I'm truly sorry to deliver such bad news. Every single time I have to tell a couple that they're unable to have children, I feel awful."_

_Sarah bites her lower lip, trying hard to ignore the tears burning in her eyes. "Is there anything we can do?"_

_Woodes scoffs beside her and the doctor rubs his forehead. "There are treatments, but... they won't fix the problem, only increase your chances slightly. Even if the treatment works, you will never be able to have many children, like you two were planning. Best case scenario, you will have one child. But after that, you will probably never be able to carry a baby in your womb again."_

_Woodes gets up from the chair abruptly, storming out the door._

_With a heavy heart, she thanks the doctor and follows her husband._

_Sarah finds him in the car, hands gripping the wheel tightly. She knows him well enough to know that he's planning something._

_And dealing with a hard decision._

_Her heart sinks._

_The short haired woman gets on the passenger seat, silence stretching until she finally gathers the courage to speak._

_"This... changes nothing between us, right?"_

_Her husband sighs heavily, not even glancing at her._

_"You know how important this is to me. How much I want and **need**  to have children. Not just one, more. This has always been my biggest dream, and you know that!"_

_Tears burn in Sarah's eyes and she swallows hard, mind racing. "There are so many other possibilities! A surrogate, adoption-"_

_Woodes scoffs, shaking his head and finally meeting her eyes._

_"Sarah. Just... don't. I want heirs, and I want them the traditional way. Nothing you say will make me change my mind. I will talk to the lawyer next week."_

_There's so much pain in his eyes. It feels strange to see this man, who's usually so calm and collected, letting his emotions show like this. "Sorry, darling. Really. I don't like this either. But life isn't always easy, right?"_

_Her tears win, rolling down her face._ _"Woodes, please... please don't do this to me."_

_He reaches for her with a scowl, holding her face in his hands. "Shh... It's okay, love. This doesn't mean we need to stop seeing each other."_

_"But what if you marry again?"_

_He shrugs, forcing a smirk and caressing her chin before letting go of her face and starting the car._

_"Then we'll just need to make sure my new wife doesn't find out. We'll be okay. Now. I'll drive you back to the mansion and you'll just relax at the pool like a good girl. I have work to do."_

_After dropping his wife at the mansion, Woodes walks back to the car, successfully locking his feelings away. Glad to finally be able to ignore the pain in his heart, he gets on the driver's seat, using his phone to take a look at the latest news in the city._

_And one in particular catches his attention._

_The sole heir to the Guthrie Trading Company was involved in a scandal._

_She was seen kissing a woman at some bar._

_He raises an eyebrow, touching the phone's screen, his fingers resting over her gorgeous, perfect face._

_She seems weirdly familiar..._

_He has heard stuff about Richard's daughter before. She's not exactly well seen by the rest of the high society. Apparently she has some issues, like depression, a strong personality and the habit of kissing other women from times to times._

_But hell, she's absolutely gorgeous._

_It would surely be fun to tame and subdue this wild girl. Woodes smirks, staring at her picture. Looks like he won't have much trouble finding another wife._

_This young woman will be his. He will be her savior, teaching her to act like the proper lady she was always meant to be._

_After glancing back at the mansion, he starts the car, a brief chuckle leaving his lips._

_"Well... I always liked them younger anyway."_

* * *

**Present Days**

She's so damn close to a panic attack.

The man she once vowed to love until the end of her days stops in front of her, the cut on his cheek making her stomach turn.

When he speaks, it's the last thing she was expecting to hear.

"Are you okay? Did that animal hurt you?"

Eleanor frowns, shaking her head in disbelief.

The crazed glint in his eyes is making her even more uncomfortable.

"Do you... remember me?" He asks, reaching for her. She flinches away from his touch, and that last thread of devotion for him is the only thing keeping her from punching his cheek where the cut was, so she could run away.

"You do, don't you? What the hell happened, Eleanor? You hated that man. You wanted to see him dead. I was the one you loved, the one who saved you. So why? Why did you run back to that... that thing?"

His eyes fill with disgust and she clenches her jaw hard as he continues to speak. "I still cling to the hope that you're doing this against your will. That the filthy pirate is somehow forcing you to stay with him. It's the only possibility that makes sense. The woman I knew wouldn't do this. The woman I knew wouldn't go back to the monster who murdered her father-"

"Because the woman you knew wasn't me." She finally speaks, trying her best not to let the fear show in her voice. "You never truly knew me. You only knew a fake version of me."

He scowls, shaking his head and glancing down at her stomach for a moment. His eyes are filled with pain when he looks at her face again. "Why? Why didn't you tell me? Things could have been different, if only I knew you were carrying our child."

"Don't. Please don't." She says in a quiet, strained voice, shaking her head and taking a step back. This seems to make him even more frustrated.

Her mind is racing, despite her fear. She knows he's mentally unstable right now, and that he will probably try to harm her sooner or later. She needs to buy time until Charles finds her, to keep talking, to keep  _him_  talking.

For as long as she can.

"Just answer my questions, Eleanor. Why are you doing this?"

She swallows hard, tears burning in her eyes.

"I thought you were my savior..."

Her voice is quiet and Woodes frowns, watching her face closely.

"So blinded by faith, I couldn't see all the warnings, and they were so clear..."

"What are you talking about, darling?"

The endearment that used to make her heart flutter now only makes her want to vomit. Her anger is getting too much to handle. With a shake of her head, the blonde snaps, her tone much louder now.

"You deceived me, right from the start!"

Her ex-husband clenches his jaw, the affection in his eyes being replaced by rage.

Eleanor frowns, lowering her eyes. The pain of finally fully realizing something about the past leaves her heart in pieces as she whispers the words.

"It was all just a lie."

Woodes scoffs at her words, walking closer. "Come on... You loved me."

She shakes her head, wanting to stand her ground. "I loved the person I thought you were. But now, everything is clear to me. The truth is that I never loved you!"

His jaw clenches and he grabs the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss. But she fights back, biting his lower lip as hard as she can.

He lets her go with a strangled cry, tasting the coppery blood and bringing one hand to his lips.

Only then she realizes her mistake.

He slowly looks at her face again, eyes dark with anger.

"Don't ever try to touch me again!" The blonde says and turns around to walk away, unable to look at his face any longer.

But he soon is on her again, hands tightening around her arms hard enough to bruise, and she hears his voice as he speaks close to her ear.

"Looks like you need to be taught a lesson."

He starts pulling her back towards the Range Rover, her blood turning to ice as she realizes his intentions.

She doesn't have Mr Scott's knife.

He's stronger than her. And obviously remembers the fighting tactics from his previous life, as well as how to immobilize someone.

In fact, right now no matter how hard she tries, she can't do anything to make him let her go. She tries hard to remember the self defense Charles taught her, but she has already committed the one mistake he told her to avoid.

She's panicking.

Eleanor tries freeing her arms, tries throwing her head back to hit his face, tries elbowing him, kicking him, but it's like he anticipates her every move, easily dodging her blows and chuckling as she starts to grow more desperate.

"You're still my wife, like it or not. You still belong to me." He says as they reach the Range Rover and despair takes her over at the feel of handcuffs closing around her wrists. "And it's about time I take you back."

He hits her head against the car and she goes limp in his arms, vision blackening. He violently opens the back door, throwing her into the backseat.

The blonde struggles to keep her eyes open, trying desperately to fight, to get up, but she's just so dizzy. She hears his voice as his body covers hers on the backseat, hands going to the hem of her skirt.

"What the hell happened to your perfect thighs? They look awful now. Why did you ruin them?"

The hurtful words do no harm.

This is it.

One of her biggest fears, hell, any woman's fear, is about to come to reality.

And there's nothing she can do about it. Tears come to her eyes as she feels him touch her, the dark blue skirt bunched up at her waist.

But then he's suddenly gone and she forces herself to lift her head, hearing the sounds of a fight going on outside the car through the fog in her brain. Her vision is still blurry but she sees a flash of familiar red hair and brown leather.

As the fight goes on her eyes start to regain their focus and she watches in disbelief as Anne Bonny knocks Rogers unconscious before looking at her.

She frowns as the little brute comes over to the car, leaning in to pull her into a sitting position.

"Can you stand?" She asks gruffly and Eleanor nods, letting the redhead help her to her feet. She looks at her face, a question clear in her eyes.

_Why?_

Anne shakes her head, clenching her jaw with a haunted look in her eyes.

"No one deserves that. Not even a traitorous cunt like you." She says, rage written all over her face as she heads back to Rogers' unconscious form, searching his pockets for the handcuffs' keys.

Once Anne frees the blonde from them, she pulls out her phone, noticing the younger woman is on the verge of going into shock.

"I found her. We'll head back to the hideout. Meet us there. And tell Charles that something happened and she needs him."

When Anne touches her arm to lead her back to the motorcycle, it's surprisingly gentle.

_What the fuck is going on?_

But the redhead suddenly turns around to look at Rogers, jaw clenched hard as she kicks him a few times, hard, seeming to be taking her anger out on him.

"Anne!" Eleanor manages to call out. They really need to leave.

Finally done, the older woman spits at his unconscious form.

"Fucking coward." She mutters, coming back to the blonde's side, gently holding her arm again as she heads to the motorcycle, even helping her put on the helmet.

"Hold on tight." She warns Eleanor and the blonde nods, holding on to her waist as she speeds off.

* * *

Anne is silent as they make their way up the stairs and inside the main space of the hideout, Jack and Charles looking up immediately.

As the redhead locks the door behind her, the recent events finally cause Eleanor to break and run straight into Charles' arms, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. Taken aback, he holds her tightly, one hand caressing the back of her head.

"Anne, what happened?" His deep voice echoes through the place.

"Rogers. The fucking coward was about to rape her." She says, storming over to her and Jack's room.

Blind with rage, Charles looks over at his friend.

"Stay with Eleanor. I'll fucking kill him."

"No! You can't do anything right now. It will be a disaster. You need to calm down a bit first."

He growls at his accomplice's words, eyes dark with anger.

"Look, I understand, I really do. If it had been with Anne I would want to kill him too. But Charles, look at her" Jack gestures to the blonde silently shaking in his friends' arms.

"She's in shock. Understandably so. Wait to get your revenge. If not for your own sake, then for hers. Stay with Eleanor for now. She needs you." He says, aiming for his friends' weakness. It's not that he cares about her well being. But he knows this is the only way to stop Charles from going after Rogers. And it works. His face softens a bit as he nods.

"Good. Now. You know this whole almost rape situation probably had an effect on Anne as well. So I'll head over there and stay with her, alright? Call us if you need anything." He says before disappearing behind the curtains, leaving the pair alone.

Dropping a kiss to the top of Eleanor's head, the criminal pulls her away from him slightly to look at her tear stained face, his heart clenching at the fear he sees in her wide eyes.

It's so weird to see her like this.

"Can you walk?"

She nods once and he leads her to his room, closing the door behind him before guiding her to sit down on the bed.

"I have no idea how to-"

"Just don't leave me alone. Please." She says in a quiet voice and he nods, hesitating before moving his hand to her arm. She flinches, hissing in pain and he frowns. Carefully, the criminal untucks the white blouse from her skirt, glancing at her face to see if she was okay with this.

He doesn't want to traumatize her even further.

Only after she gives him a soft nod of assent, he proceeds to pull the blouse over her head, eyes immediately going to her arms so he could see what was causing her pain.

His jaw clenches.

Both her arms have bruises on them, clearly the shapes of Rogers' hands.

Taking a deep breath to control his anger, Charles brings his fingers to her right arm, softly tracing the bruises.

"He restrained my arms and kept dodging every time I tried to fight him. Then he handcuffed me and... slammed my head against the car. I was so dizzy but I tried to fight him, Charles. I swear." She says as fresh tears come to her eyes and he sees her self hatred and guilt written all over her face.

"I know you did. This isn't your fault. Let me see your head." He says and she nods once, turning around on the bed.

He examines the back of her head, easily finding the quickly forming bump.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah. But not as much as it did back when Anne found us."

"And the bruises?" He asks, hands ghosting over the red marks on her arms.

She nods. "And my wrists too."

He turns her around to face him again, taking one of her wrists in his hands and inspecting it. The handcuffs had been too tight, and since she tried to fight, the skin was raw now.

The criminal sighs, getting to his feet and heading over to his dresser. He opens the bottom shelf, pulling out a small, black box before returning to the bed.

Wordlessly he opens the box, grabbing a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton.

Eleanor jumps slightly, hissing in pain when the alcohol comes in contact with her hurt wrists. He meets her eyes.

"It's okay. Let me take care of you."

Silence reigns while Charles carefully treats her wrists and she watches him, unable to stop her heart from swelling with love.

He grabs a bandage from the box, wrapping it around her right wrist before repeating the process with the left one.

As he returns the box to his dresser, Eleanor finally speaks, wanting some answers to what happened earlier.

"Anne..."

He frowns, sitting on the mattress beside her again. "What about Anne?"

"Why did she help me? She was so angry at him... but she treated me in such a gentle way. She was even careful during the ride back here, not to scare me even further."

The blonde moves closer, wanting the comfort only his body against hers could offer. Charles sighs, wrapping her in his embrace and leaning against the bed's headboard.

She closes her eyes, snuggling into his chest while he holds her, one of his hands resting over her bandaged wrist while the other caresses her shoulder.

"Anne was raped by her uncle, when she was just 5 years old."

She lifts her head from his chest to look up at his face, frowning.

"What kind of monster does that?" She asks in a pained, quiet voice and Charles shrugs.

"The same monster who keeps children as slaves."

Realization dawns on her and Eleanor's heart clenches. Both for Anne and for the man she loves.

"That poor child..."

"It's okay. She's okay. After the memories came back, we found him. We tortured and killed him. She felt better after this."

The blonde shakes her head.

"That's why she was so angry at Woodes. Why she wouldn't stop kicking him before we left. I knew she was taking her anger out on him."

She proceeds to tell Charles about everything Anne did to the man who almost raped her, knowing he needed to hear it. He needed this in order to stay calm, to feel better.

And he tells her about how he went looking for her the moment her message arrived, giving his accomplices the order to go do the same thing.

Her eyelids soon start to feel heavy and she closes her eyes.

"Sleep now." That grave voice she loves so much reaches her ears, just before she gives in to unconsciousness.

* * *

The following morning, Eleanor walks out of the room, with the intention of grabbing a water bottle from the fridge for her and the criminal.

Seeing Anne eating at the table makes her stop for a moment. The redhead looks over at her and the two women watch each other in silence for a few seconds before the blonde averts her eyes, heading over to the fridge. Anne stares at the bruises on her arms with a scowl.

"You okay, Eleanor?"

She frowns, closing the fridge and looking at the other woman, shock evident on her face.

"I think this is the first time you call me by my name. The first time ever."

Anne narrows her eyes at her.

"Don't think this changes anything. I'd still love to slit that pretty little throat of yours. I may have saved you last night but had my own personal reasons to do that. It changes nothing. I'm  _not_  your friend, and I still hate your guts."

A smirk comes to Eleanor's face and she nods at the woman before heading back to Charles' room.

"You won't believe what just happened." She says, handing the water bottle to the criminal and laying down on the mattress beside him. "Anne called me by my name. Not bitch, not cunt, not 'you traitorous piece of shit'. But my actual name."

He frowns at her in pure disbelief.

"Maybe she's sick? Or the real Anne was abducted by aliens and this is just a clone."

Eleanor laughs at his words. "Yeah. That's the most logical explanation I can think of too."

* * *

_I know you now. I trust you now. I'm devoted to you now._

_I love you now._

_So I will tell you the absolute truth about how I'm going to react when faced with the thing sitting in that cell in your fort._

_I honestly don't know._

Eleanor wakes up with a strangled gasp, heart beating wildly in her chest as she sits up in the bed. The criminal beside her stirs but doesn't fully wake up.

Trying to get her breathing under control, she glances at her jacket hanging on the doorknob, thinking about the engagement ring that rests inside the garment's breast pocket.

An only then she notices something's different.

Something inside her.

"Charles?" She whispers, looking at his sleeping form.

When he shows no signs of waking up, the blonde reaches down to shake his shoulder, speaking his name again in a louder tone. His eyes open and he frowns at her.

"Something wrong?" The voice rough with sleep makes her shiver and she offers him a soft smile.

"No... Nothing's wrong, I just... There's something I want to tell you."

He sits up on the mattress too, watching her face closely, frown still firmly in place.

After a moment of hesitation, she speaks.

"I don't ever want to see his face again."

She sees the hope that flickers in Charles' eyes.

"What are you saying?"

"I see it now... I was never safe. I never really knew that man, that... that monster..."

She shakes her head, bringing her hand to the criminal's cheek, eyes lowered. "I was wrong.  _He_  is the animal. Not you. And I don't ever want to see him agin. I hate him... That small bit of devotion was the last thread that held me back from making this decision, and now that it's gone..."

"Say it."

She meets his eyes, a determined look on her face.

"I want to stay with you. Not just for a while. But for another day, another month, another year... you know."

A half smirk comes to his lips.

"You gonna leave your father? The Company? The mansion?"

She shrugs. "I don't give a fuck about the mansion. I thought I cared about the Company, but now that we remember everything, it just feels so pointless. It means absolutely nothing, compared to my Island... It was just something I used to cling to, trying to use it to replace Nassau. As I said before, I always felt it was just a substitute for something. Now I know what."

"And your father?"

Her eyes fill with pain and she sighs heavily. "After what he did to me... It was like a slap to my face. I love him. I love him so much, he's my father despite everything and I will always love him. But... I can't do this anymore. Beg for the crumbs of his love, as you said. It's pathetic. I won't lie. I will cling to the hope that one day he will change. That one day he will seek me out, wanting to fix his mistakes, but for now... I will put an end to this. I won't be a pathetic beggar anymore."

His eyes shine with pride and she smiles brightly before kissing his lips.

Her eyes find her jacket again and she looks at Charles' face, mind made up.

"I want to go see the sea. Now."

He frowns, watching her as if she was crazy.

"Why? It's one in the morning right now."

She doesn't back down, getting out of bed and starting to get dressed.

"I know. But there's something I need to do. And it can't wait."

* * *

Hal Gates rubs his forehead with a heavy, tired sigh. His wife joins him on the couch, eyes filled with worry.

"I can't believe they did this. I can't believe they fired you without any explanation, those monsters... What are we going to do now?"

He shakes his head, not knowing what to say to the woman. Their youngest child coughs violently from her room and they rush to the door, checking if she was okay before returning to the living room.

"How are we going to be able to buy her medicine now? It's nearly gone, we'll need more soon. And what about the twins? How are we going to pay for their education? We barely had enough money to pay for all this before, now it will be even worse..."

"I'll find a way, okay?" Hal says, trying to make her feel better. "I don't know how, but I will. We'll start selling the furniture if we have too, but Amber, I promise you we'll be okay. I will get the money for Lavinia's medicine and the boys' school, while also keeping the four of you fed and dressed, no matter what I have to do."

The doorbell rings and they stare at each other, frowning.

Amber gets to her feet. "Who could it be, at such a late hour?"

Her husband grabs her arm, shaking his head. "Stay here. I'll see who it is."

Swallowing his fear and putting on a brave face, he makes his way to the front door. But when he unlocks it, there's only the cool night air and the sight of the quiet, empty street.

Hal frowns in confusion, about to close the door again. And something suddenly catches his eyes.

There's a rather large bag on the ground, right in front of the door. A note rests on it and he reaches for the piece of paper, reading the words written in an elegant, weirdly familiar calligraphy.

_"Don't question where it comes from. Merely accept it. I hope it will be enough to right the wrongs of the past._

_Good luck, old friend."_

Slowly, he unzips the bag.

And his breath catches.

He had never seen so much money in his life. Not even in the TV.

Amber comes to the front door, scowling at the sight of her husband on his knees, staring at a bag. "What is it, Hal? What - Oh, my God!"

She covers her mouth with her hand and for a while they simply stare at the money-filled bag.

"There must be more than a million dollars..." Hal finally speaks, dragging the bag inside with some effort.

"Who could have done this?" His wife asks, closing and locking the door behind them.

"I don't know... I have no idea."

Outside, in his rented car, Flint watches the house, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

With a much lighter heart and a half smile on his face, he starts the car and drives away.

* * *

There's no one in sight at the Venice beach as Charles stops the motorcycle before taking his helmet off and closing his eyes for a moment to savor the scent of the sea.

One of his favorite scents. Losing only to the one from Eleanor's hair when he wakes up with her cuddled up to his chest.

The couple silently walks the empty beach, Eleanor's eyes glued to the Venice Fishing Pier. She refused to tell him the reason behind this little trip in the middle of the night and he's starting to grow impatient.

The blonde leads the way, their foosteps mixing with the sound of the waves as they walk all the way to the end of the pier.

She watches the ocean in silence while Charles' eyes stay glued to her face. He can see it clearly, she's preparing herself to do something important. The wind blows her hair gently, the soft curls moving slowly and leaving her whole profile exposed to his hungry eyes.

He will never get enough of this woman's beauty.

To him, she is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk this planet.

And she is  _his._

As he is hers.

After what feels like an eternity, she glances at him, the completely unguarded look in her eyes making his heart skip a beat. She's nervous, eyes glinting with unshed tears, and she's afraid...

Needing someone's strength.

Eleanor wordlessly reaches for the criminal and he's more than happy to obey her silent request, stepping closer to her and trapping her in his arms, his hands resting on the rail of the pier on either sides of her body.

Her heart speeds up and she sighs in satisfaction, feeling stronger now.

His unique scent invades her senses, sending a shiver down her spine.

Charles sees it when she reaches into the pocket of her shorts, his eyes narrowing as she brings her hand up so he could see what she had in her fingers.

The engagement ring Rogers gave her.

The moonlight catches on the diamond, making it glint beautifully. He clenches his jaw hard at the mere thought of that monster. This almost ruins the beautiful moment he's sharing with his lady Honeypot. He almost steps away from her and goes back to the motorcycle.

But then...

With a shuddering breath, Eleanor tosses the engagement ring into the ocean below, watching as it disappears from their sight in the dark waters.

Charles' heart swells with love and the criminal only feels even better when he hears the words that leave her mouth next.

"Goodbye, Woodes."

Her voice drifts off into the night and she turns around in his arms, bringing her hands to the collar of his leather jacket and pressing a soft kiss to the faded line around his neck before burying her face in his shoulder.

He holds her close, staring at the ocean, a smile refusing to leave his face.

Charles thought it was impossible for him to love this woman even more than he already did.

He was wrong.

* * *

When they left the pier and began walking the beach, her hand hesitantly sought his and both of them were a little awkward while intertwining their fingers together.

It's funny and weird.

They have shared so much intimacy in this life and in the previous one, they have slept together countless times. And yet, they have trouble with a gesture as simple and innocent as holding hands like any normal couple does.

They walk in silence, hand in hand, the waves almost reaching their feet.

"I had a nightmare." She says suddenly and he frowns.

"That's not new. Was it the hanging?"

She shakes her head, staring at the sea. "No, I'm talking about a nightmare I had... back then. During my previous life."

This must be important.

"What was it about?"

She sighs, glancing over at his face. "It was... a premonition. That's the only way I can describe it."

"What do you mean?"

"Basically, there was... him. A Spanish armada. I guess something was trying to warn me. But well, obviously I didn't understand."

Images flash in his mind, of her waking up scared after this nightmare. Without him to help calm her down...

The mere thought of it makes him crazy.

Eleanor scoffs and he looks at her as she continues to speak.

"You know what? In truth... I should have told him to go fuck himself the minute he had me stuffed into a corset."

He chuckles briefly, nodding in agreement. "Too bad you only see it now."

"Better late than never, right?" She smiles at him before lowering her eyes to the sand.

He seems to be in deep thought for a while, finally speaking after a few minutes.

"I just realize it now... Shortly before my death sentence, I was at that house too. Just like you."

The blonde raises an eyebrow before shaking her head with a smirk. "I think you and I are fate's two favorite toys."

He looks at her face again, an amused glint in his eyes. It makes her heart flutter. She raises her chin, stopping them in their walk and silently pulling him towards the sea.

He always compared her to a mermaid who uses her beauty to lure sailors to their death.

And right now, as she's pulling him to the ocean, the wind blowing on her hair, the moonlight illuminating her perfect face and letting him see the wicked smirk on her lips, the comparison is even better.

"You gonna drown me or what?" The criminal jokes teasingly when he stops right in front of her and she rolls her eyes at him, moving her hands to the back of his neck.

Of all the countless kisses they have already shared, this must be among the best ones.

The water is reaching almost to their knees, the sound of the waves filling their ears and the perfect scent of the ocean invading their senses as he pulls her closer, the increasingly heated kiss full of different emotions.

Countless feelings.

But one of them stands out among the rest. The feeling of freedom.

_He and the sea will always set her free._

* * *

After Eleanor made it clear that she was  _not_  going to let him fuck her on the pier, despite the fact no one would see them, the couple left the beach, wanting nothing more to reach the hideout as quickly as possible and lock themselves in the privacy of Charles' room.

As the motorcycle speeds up through the almost empty streets the blonde closes her eyes, savoring the feeling of being so close to him, her arms tightening around his waist.

But after a while she suddenly feels him stiffen.

He stops the motorcycle.

Slowly opening her eyes, Eleanor notices they are in front of the Demeter.

And her blood runs cold when she sees the silver Range Rover parked a few feet away from them, her ex-husband getting out of the car.

Charles takes his helmet off, keeping his eyes on the other man as he stares at them, disgust written all over his face.

The criminal's words only make her heart beat faster.

And she wants to scream.

"Governor. I've been waiting for this."


	51. Us Against the World

_Needless to say, there is some violence ahead. Be careful if it makes you uncomfortable._

The two men stare at each other in silence for what feels like forever and Eleanor takes her helmet off before bringing her free hand to the criminal's shoulder, whispering his name, her voice filled with dread.

Why did Woodes have to find them now, of all times? After such an important step for them, after she finally broke free from that devotion?

Her attempt at calming Charles' nerves fails miserably.

He glances at her over his shoulder. "You stay out of this. It's between me and him."

She shakes her head as he gets off the motorcycle, handing his helmet to her.

Her ex-husband has a black eye, obviously the result of Anne's fists to his face the previous night. But that has no effect on his composure. He still behaves as if he owns the word, that snob look never leaving his face, as if his arrogance is ingrained deep into his very soul.

He glances at the birthmark on Charles' neck, scoffing. "What is it like to look at the mirror every day and see the reminder of your pathetic defeat?"

He closes the car's door, taking a few slow steps forward but Charles stands proudly, not showing any signs of backing down and doing his best to shield Eleanor from the other man's eyes.

"What is it like to know that you're such a worthless piece of shit? That you caused your wife's death? What is it like to see her run right back to the man she told you she hated?"

He's satisfied to see the way Rogers clenches his jaw hard, that urge to keep the woman behind him safe getting even stronger when the governor looks at her.

"Get in the car, Eleanor. Right now."

She refuses to move, refuses to avert her eyes, staring back at him with her chin raised high in defiance.

His temper flares. "Get in the damn car! Don't you dare disobey your husband-"

His words are cut off when Charles surges forward, punching his face with all the strength he could muster. It makes the other man stumble backwards until he's leaning against the Range Rover, his hand flying to his face. He slowly looks up at his enemy again and Eleanor sees he has a split lip, blood starting to trail down his chin.

"Is the phrase  _'until death do us part'_  really so fucking hard to understand?" Charles asks in a dark and dangerous voice that makes even her scared.

Though she'd never admit it, of course.

Letting out a dry, hollow laugh, Rogers decides to change his tactics, locking eyes with his opponent.

"Would you like to hear about how I killed your mentor?"

Eleanor's breath catches and she sees her pirate's fists clenching at his sides as her ex-husband keeps talking.

"Such a giant, and I was able to defeat him. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, it seems. And what a fall that was."

He forces a chuckle, pushing off his car and straightening up again.

"You know, speaking of falls... you should have seen the way she acted after your death. While we stared at your dead body from the window, she laid her head on my shoulder. I was her strength. She was so relieved to finally get rid of you. We celebrated... In the  _best_  way possible." He says with a half smirk and Charles does his best not to let the words hurt him too much while the blonde clenches her jaw beside the motorcycle.

"You're fucking disgusting." She tells her ex-husband with a soft shake of her head and he raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, so now I am the disgusting one? Funny, darling. I seem to recall you saying the same about your filthy pirate. Maybe I should refresh your memory?" He takes a step forward, watching as Charles did the same. "An animal? A... _thing,_  was it?"

Tears burn in her eyes. Just to think about how hurtful these words were to her Captain, it breaks her heart. He's silent while Rogers shakes his head, not looking away from his face even for a moment.

"Must be hard for you to accept it, right? To think that after your death, I thrived. Destroying your mentor. Conquering what I know you wanted the most..." He gestures at Eleanor, causing the other man to clench his jaw hard as he begins to walk closer with that menacing posture, everything about him screaming danger. His eyes have a murderous, animalistic glint to them but the unbridled rage is not enough to intimidate Rogers as he continues to talk. "I was the one who slept by her side  _every night,_  I was the one who could have her  _whenever I wanted,_  I gave her  _my_  family's name. I was the man she  _married,_  the man she _loved,_  like she told me so many times. Oh, and... it was  _my_  baby growing in her womb when she died."

That does it.

A broken gasp leaves Eleanor's lips when her pirate finally breaks, surging forward with a loud growl, and she watches helplessly as the two men fight.

Three centuries ago, after seeing the results of that brutal encounter by the ruined carriage, she was secretly thankful that she hadn't been around to see their fight. Back then, a small part of her wasn't quite ready yet to see her former lover hurt. While she also had no desire to see someone harming Woodes.

Now, even though she doesn't care about the other man's well-being anymore, she's worried sick about her criminal.

What will come out of this?

What if her ex-husband bests Charles?

For now, he seems to be winning. Dodging every blow perfectly and making her heart swell with pride as she sees him punching his opponent's cheek. He cries out, the cut from the scissor reopening. Blood flows from it instantly, and it seems to make him even angrier.

She can't help but feel entranced, in a way, watching the way her Captain moves. And if she wasn't so terrified right now, his rage, dark behavior and raw strength would probably really turn her on.

The two men meet each other's eyes from times to times and Charles does his best to keep his breathing under control, not wanting to grow tired and tip the fight in his opponent's favor.

He has to admit the governor's actually good at this, keeping his legs spread to shoulder width, knees bent slightly, just the same way the he does, both keeping their balance as they wait to lunge at each other again in a silent, heavy standoff. This moment of calm lets Eleanor assess the damage already done and she's relieved to see that only her ex-husband has blood on his face.

Her heart is beating wildly. She can feel just how heavy the tension between them is.

And she knows that things will only get worse.

After what feels like an eternity, but in reality was nothing more than a few seconds, Rogers lunges forward again and the criminal blocks his attack. He's growing frustrated, wanting to do some damage of his own, but Charles seems to have never-ending stamina and even more knowledge about how to fight in this life. He knows he needs to make him lose his focus for just a second, that will be enough.

And he knows there's only one way he can manage to do this.

His eyes settle on Eleanor and he fakes an alarmed expression.

"Eleanor, watch out!"

She frowns at her ex-husband's screamed words. There's nothing here endangering her.

But she soon realizes what his intentions were when Charles makes the mistake of looking back at her over his shoulder, checking if she was okay.

She barely has time to scream and alert him before Rogers attacks, kicking his left shin hard and causing him to lose his balance.

Realizing he had fallen right into his opponent's trap, the pirate tries to fight back, to regain his footing while the other man finally succeeds in punching his face and ribs repeatedly, completely driven by rage.

He tastes blood on his tongue and Eleanor gasps in horror when she sees their enemy elbowing his ribs in a particularly hard blow that brings Charles to his knees. He seems to be dazed by the pain, though still clearly trying to fight.

But he's incapacitated, unable to defend himself as the other man kicks his chest violently, causing him to fall on his back.

Rogers wastes no time, proceeding to throw more punches to his face. He pays his ex-wife no mind at all, not considering her a threat.

But hell, he's wrong if he thinks she'll just stay put like some fragile damsel in distress, watching the man she loves suffer without doing anything.

Her eyes find a loose rock from the sidewalk and she reaches for it, moving around the two man and silently approaching Rogers from behind, doing her best to ignore how painful it was to watch him hurt her Captain.

With a determined look in her eyes, she grabs him from behind, bringing the sharp rock to the open cut on his cheek, digging it into the wound, rubbing it to his cheek as hard as she possibly could.

The intense pain makes him cry out, his strength vanishing for a moment, which allows her to pull him off Charles.

After a moment he begins to fight against her hold and she stays strong, arms tightening around his neck and chest, eyes glued to the criminal as he regained his strength and got to his feet again.

Just then, her ex-husband manages to pry the rock out of her hand, throwing it to the ground and elbowing her in the ribs to make her let him go. The sudden pain makes her vision go black for a moment and he turns around, violently shoving her away from him so he could go back to the fight. Eleanor falls, landing on her stomach and hissing in pain as she feels her face hit the hard, rough concrete.

Woodes actually pauses, only now seeming to realize what he did, and she hears Charles call her name. Both men watch her as she lifts her face from the ground, looking over at them and feeling blood trail down her cheek.

When her lover sees that she's hurt, his worried eyes fill with fury.

The animalistic rage helps him forget about his pain. He forces his mind to shut down the sensation, telling himself it was nothing but an illusion he could ignore.

"You'll fucking pay for that!" The pirate growls, surging forward and punching the other man's face, sending him against the back of the Range Rover in a perfect imitation of their fight three hundred years ago.

Only now it was a car instead of a carriage.

"She doesn't belong to you, pirate!" Rogers yells, spitting the last word out as if it was poison.

The captain scoffs, a wild glint coming to his eyes. "She doesn't belong to you either, governor!"

Moved by his wrath, Charles closes the small distance between them, grabbing his neck and when the arrogant bastard tries to fight, he violently brings the top of his forehead down to his nose and face. The hard head-butt almost makes his opponent fall unconscious and he doesn't hesitate, immediately starting to punch his face, grunts leaving both of them each time Charles' fist connected with the other man's face.

"She belongs to herself!" His words are punctuated by his hard blows and Eleanor gets to her feet, watching the scene in horror. She forgot just how much violence and brutality this man was capable of.

His movements are fueled by the intense fury that always overtook him when he saw someone hurt the woman he loves.

She has no idea where all the blood is coming from, all she knows is that with each violent punch from her lover, her ex-husband's face gets more and more stained in crimson. She sees the red substance falling to the floor, some of it staining the car, some trailing down to his white shirt beneath the suit jacket.

And Charles' hands are completely covered in it too.

He's showing no signs of stopping, her blood running cold as she grimaces at the sickening cracking sound that reaches her ear after he punches the other man's nose.

He broke it. She's absolutely sure.

"Charles!" She calls out, leaning against the motorcycle behind her, her hands holding on to the seat. Her legs are weak, she's sure they will give out if she lets go.

"Charles, stop! You're going to kill him!"

He scoffs, not even thinking about stopping his brutal assault. "What do you think my fucking intentions are?!"

She shakes her head. "No! Not like this! Mason will find you! We don't know if there are security cameras around! Charles, please!"

Her voice sounds so desperate. It makes his heart clench, all the pain of their past making doubts come creeping in.

Is she just worried about the criminal's safety and well being, or...

Is she trying to  _protect_  the governor?

His fists stop and he looks over his shoulder, eyes raking over her face.

And he's filled with relief because of what he sees.

She doesn't even glance at her ex-husband, blue-green eyes staying focused on his face, full of worry... worry for  _him._

 _Only_  for him.

His hand lets go of Rogers' neck and the beaten up man falls to the ground, those sickening blue eyes staring up at his face. He's barely conscious and Eleanor's heart skips a beat when her Captain's attention moves from the other man's face to hers, a glint coming to his eyes.

A wild, feral, untamed glint.

He kicks their enemy hard, making him cry out in agony as he rolled onto his side.

"Look at her.  _Look!_ " Charles growls and Rogers' pain-filled eyes settle on Eleanor as she grips the motorcycle seat, a terrified look on her face. She's not really used to seeing violence like this anymore, having led such a safe life this time.

She stares right back at Woodes, chest heaving as the criminal stormed over to her. His own face is covered in red too, his blood mixing with Rogers'. But she's certain that all of the red substance on his arms and hands belongs only to his opponent.

For a second, she wonders what he'll do.

But her doubts are answered when he reaches the motorcycle, his bloody hands grabbing a hold of her face and pulling her in for a passionate kiss.

She sees the defeat, the torment and the heartache written all over her ex-husband's face before her eyes fall closed and she melts into the kiss, arms going around her lover's neck. This seems not to be enough for him as he pushes her up on the motorcycle seat, hands gripping her legs, smearing their enemy's blood all over her creamy white skin. He pulls her legs around his hips before his hands move to her lower back, pulling her flush against him, shivers going down her spine at the contact.

There's something so primitive and stormy about the kiss. He's acting like he could really take her right here, right before Rogers' eyes.

He wants to.

And she's mortified by the fact part of her actually wants to let him do it.

But the distant sound of police sirens makes them pause and she breaks their kiss, staring at his face with wide, terrified eyes. "We need to go!"

Charles clenches his jaw, looking over his shoulder at the agonizing man still watching them from the ground.

And she sees him lose the battle against his self-control.

Before Eleanor can even try to stop him, he lets go of her and storms over to their enemy. A broken gasp leaves her lips as she sees him kick Rogers' head hard. He immediately falls unconscious and Charles seems to have plans to kick him even more.

The police sirens are getting louder.

_Closer._

Eleanor jumps down from the motorcycle seat, her heart beating wildly as she runs to the criminal, grabbing his shoulder while he kicks her ex-husband's head again and again, a dark half smirk on his face.

"Charles,  _please!_ "

The despair in her voice brings him back to reality.

He clenches his jaw again, appreciating the sight of their defeated enemy for a moment before grabbing a hold of her arm and leading the way back to the motorcycle.

After quickly putting on their helmets, Eleanor holds tightly to Charles' waist as he speeds off.

She has no idea if Woodes is alive or dead. The kicks to his head were so strong, they may very well have killed him. But she doesn't even give her ex-husband one last glance to find out.

He can go to hell.

She doesn't give a fuck.

* * *

Eleanor can still feel him shaking with anger.

She should be afraid of being alone with him while he's like this. But that's not the case.

He never rode so fast. She clings to him, fearing for their safety while trying to trust him and his abilities with the motorcycle.

While she knows exactly what he's doing, that he's trying to escape the police, Charles feels a strange sense of unease. He has fled so many times before, but this is different.

Because he has her with him. He's showing her one of the worst parts of his world.

The pirate tries to ignore this feeling, focusing on his anger and using it to his advantage so he can ride even faster, driven by the urge to keep the woman he loves safe.

He needs to get them to safety. If the police catches them, they will be forced apart.

_No._

He will never let anyone take her from him. He will never let anyone tear them away from each other.

Not again.

 _Never_  again.

There's nothing, nothing in this world that a hundred men or more can ever do to separate them.

It's them against the world.

He speeds up even more, leaving the city behind. Eleanor doesn't even have to ask where they are going, an unspoken agreement between them.

The ride to Teach's cabin passes in what feels like minutes, adrenaline still coursing through their veins.

The first streaks of dawn illuminate the sky as Charles stops the motorcycle in front of the wooden cabin his uncle had built with his own hands, taking off his helmet. Wordlessly, they walk to the door, Eleanor's legs still unsteady from their wild ride and all the violence she saw.

As soon as they're inside, the pirate has her against the door, kissing her as if his life depended on it, rough hands already working on the buttons and zipper of her shorts before doing the same with his jeans.

He's going to take her right here against the door, she realizes, unable to say a word of complaint.

Their heavy breathing fills the cabin as they struggle to get rid of their clothes as quickly as possible, a strong sense of urgency overtaking both of them. He picks her up, her legs going around his hips, their eyes locking as he slams home.

She forgets how to breathe for a moment.

Unlike he usually does, this time he doesn't give her a second to adjust to his size, his thrusts just as violent as the punches he was throwing at Rogers' face and ribs back at the city, and it _hurts._

She loves it.

Eleanor feels as if her screams can be heard all the way from LA as she clings to him, nails digging into his shoulder, the rough, uneven wood of the door scraping her back.

His teeth and lips are leaving marks all over her neck and collarbone.

Even if she wanted too, she would be unable to stay quiet. The power of this moment, the closeness, the circumstances, the pain mixing with the pleasure in the most perfect way. It's just too much.

And he only makes it all even more intense, bringing his lips to her ear and speaking in a dangerous, rough voice that should be illegal. "That's a good girl, let me hear you. Bet you wish this was happening at the motorcycle, right before the governor's eyes, bet you wish he was here to see me fucking you against the door, able to hear you, what I do to you, you'd fucking love that, wouldn't you? You  _want_  him to know what I do to you, to know that at least in this moment you are  _mine,_  that only  _I_  can give this to you."

Her eyes fall closed as he bites her earlobe, one of her hands tangling in his hair, legs tightening around his hips. His words and sinful voice have brought her right to the edge, a breathy "yes" leaving her lips, much to his satisfaction.

"Of course you do. Bet that sorry excuse of a man could  _never_  make you feel like this,  _never_  give you what you  _need._ "

She nods immediately, knowing by the increasing desperation in his movements that he was close too.

"Never... Only you-"

Her words are cut off when a particularly hard thrust brings the waves of her climax crashing over her. All she manages is a scream of his name, the intensity of the sensations catching her completely off guard.

It's almost scary. Never in this life or the previous one she felt something like this.

Through the fog in her brain, Eleanor feels him pull her flush against his body, grunting out her name and burying his face in her hair as he rode out his release too.

Neither of them says a word as they cling to each other, trying to catch their breath.

Finally Charles carries her to the bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress and meeting her eyes as she straddles his lap, their bodies still connected. She tries pulling away from him, wanting to lay down. But his arms tighten around her waist, a low growl leaving his lips.

"I'm far from done with you."

The words make her breath catch and she sighs when he kisses her again, slowly moving them so his body covered hers on the bed. His hands move over her body, the dried blood on his tan skin smearing over her pale one upon coming in contact with her sweat.

In a few short minutes he's hard as rock inside her again.

It's less rushed this time but just as intense and rough. She can see the pain in his eyes, knowing full well Rogers' words are still haunting him.

Torturing him.

So she clings to his shoulders, moving with him in perfect synchrony, doing everything she can to try and reassure him that he's the only one she wants now.

The only one she needs.

The only one she _loves._

The sunlight filtering in through a crack in the curtains of the only window in the cabin grows as the morning progresses. And they don't stop.

Eleanor loses count of how many times she comes, how many times he does, her brain unable to work properly.

His stamina amazes her.

Just when she's sure she can't handle it anymore, he finally collapses beside her, drenched in sweat, and his breathing starts to return to normal.

Feeling strangely empty after having him inside her for hours, she rolls onto her side, letting him pull her to his chest.

They look like a crime scene. Their hair messy, the bed sheets tangled. Rogers' blood smeared all over their skin, mixing with their sweat.

Utterly spent and exhausted, Eleanor practically passes out in Charles' arms while he stares up at the ceiling, the governor's cruel words still echoing in his mind.

* * *

"Mason!" Sarah calls out as she runs inside the hospital, a terrified look on her face.

Her ex-brother in law curses under his breath, rushing to meet the nearly hysterical woman.

"Mason, where is he? Is he okay? What happened to him? I ran here as soon as I heard the news."

"Someone called the police, reporting a fight in front of the Demeter around 3 in the morning, when we arrived... The aggressor was gone, and I found him unconscious near his car. He had a broken nose, broken ribs, a rather large cut on his cheek, and his face... I could barely recognize him."

A broken sob leaves Sarah's lips, tears filling her eyes. "Can I see him?  _Please_  tell me he'll be okay."

Mason sighs heavily, shaking his head. "I don't think I should allow you to see him, Sarah. It's really not a pretty sight. I'm not sure if you can handle it, and answering your other question..."

He pauses, getting his emotions under control and deciding to just tell her already. "Woodes is in a coma. Whoever did this to him, must have kicked his head really hard. They don't know if he'll wake up from it yet."

The woman's legs almost give out and he helps her to the chairs nearby, sitting down with her and holding her hands in silent support.

"What kind of  _monster_  could have done this?"

Mason shakes his head. "We don't know yet. But I promise I will find this man, and I will throw him in jail. He will spend the rest of his day behind bars, caged like the  _animal_  he is."

Tears are flowing freely from Sarah's eyes and she seems to be really frustrated about something. "Why did this have to happen now?"

Mason frowns in confusion at her words. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you are aware that... Woodes and I didn't stop seeing each other after the divorce. I  _didn't want_  him to marry again. I had a plan... To ruin things between him and Eleanor. A year ago, I sought our old doctor and started the treatment he told me about, to increase my chances, I didn't tell him about it, it was my little secret, I... was going to use this as a  _proof_  for Eleanor, a proof that he was cheating on her..."

"Are you saying that..."

She nods, looking up at the man's face with her tear-filled eyes.

"Yes. I am carrying your brother's child."

* * *

At the hideout, Jack and Anne stare at the screen of Max's phone, reading the news in silent disbelief.

The governor was found beaten up in the streets and now he's in a coma.

"Who do you think did it?" Max asks with a frown and Jack rubs his forehead.

"Shit... I really hope I'm wrong." He says, getting up from the couch and heading over to the door of Charles' room and knocking on it twice, looking over at the two women.

When there's no answer from inside the room, he curses under his breath, opening the door and seeing that Charles and Eleanor were gone.

He sighs heavily, looking at Max while gesturing to the empty room. "Well, here's your answer."

Max slaps a hand to her forehead, shaking her head with a scowl. "This is bad. This is so bad. Where can they be? What if something happened to them?"

She pulls out her phone, dialing Eleanor's new number while Jack tries calling their leader.

Neither of them picks up the calls.

The man clenches his jaw, sharing a look with Anne. The redhead nods, getting up from the couch and following him to the front door as he speaks to Max, easily slipping into leader mode.

"Max, keep trying to call them. Tell Caroline to try too, we'll go get Flint and look for them in the city."

She nods as the couple walks out the door, dialing Caroline's number and staring out the window with a worried frown, concern for Eleanor taking her over.

"Shit, Charles, what have you done?"

* * *

She's so confused. This feels like when you wake up after having too much to drink the previous night.

At least her Captain is here. Her hand tightens in his hair, blue-green eyes opening slowly.

Eleanor's whole body is sore, and as she tries moving to look at his face, a soft whimper leaves her lips. Her face contorts in pain for a second before she finally meets his eyes.

"You're hurt." He says, eyes raking over her body, his heart clenching at the sight of all the bruises on her skin.

"I'm alright." She mumbles and he clenches his jaw, shaking his head. She sees self-hatred clear as day in his eyes.

"I pushed you too hard, Eleanor. Look at yourself."

She pushes herself up on an elbow, doing her best to keep herself from wincing in pain. "Charles... It's okay. I understand. And you didn't force me."

" _Still!_ " He says harshly, looking at her face, anger flickering in his eyes before he gets his emotions under control. Sighing heavily, the criminal sits up on the mattress.

She watches him with a scowl as silence stretches for a while.

"Can you get your jacket for me, please? My phone's in the pocket."

Charles nods without looking at her, getting to his feet. When he comes back to the bed, handing the jacket to her and laying down on the mattress, the pirate grimaces briefly and she frowns in concern.

"What is it?"

He finally meets her eyes.

"My ribs." He grumbles, trying to act as if it was nothing.

"The pain's finally catching up to you, huh? What about your face? He hit it too."

The criminal growls in warning and a smirk tugs at her lips. "Stop that. You did far more damage than Woodes this time. Relax."

She drops a kiss to his forehead and turns her phone on, frowning.

There are more than 30 missed calls from Flint.

Also some from her mother, Max, Madi and Scott. The blonde bites her lip, looking over at Charles with a sigh and showing him the missed calls.

They know that as soon as they contact someone, they will be informed of whatever hell had broken out in LA.

She's not sure if she's ready for this. Eleanor knows now, that there's no turning back.

And she's not the type of person who cowers when there's tough stuff coming her way.

Neither is Charles.

So when her phone rings again, vibrating urgently in her hand, she takes a deep breath and answers the call.

 _"Where the **fuck**  are you? Are you alright?"_ Flint's exasperated voice sounds on the other side of the line.

She grimaces, closing her eyes for a moment as he continues to speak.  _"You have no idea how crazy things are in here. What the fuck did he do, Eleanor?"_

"We went to the beach in the middle of the night and Rogers ambushed us when we were heading back to the hideout, he... said some stuff, and he wanted me back. So Charles... got a little angry."

The criminal scoffs like a child who's just been sold out to the teacher, reaching to caress the scars on her thighs.

Another grimace comes to Eleanor's face as Flint lets out a dry, humorless laugh, still sounding like an exasperated adult reprimanding two kids.  _"Unbelievable - Fucking unbelievable! I can't leave you two **idiots**  alone for  **one day!** "_

She sighs, feeling a headache coming on. "What happened?"

_"Rogers' brother found him beaten within an inch of his life, he's in the hospital right now, in a fucking coma, and Mason will not stop until he finds out who did this!"_

Leaning back against the bed's headboard, she watches the hand caressing her scars with a soft frown, remembering how disgusted Woodes had been when he saw them.

"We'll be fine. And yes, I'm alright, by the way. Four hours away from LA. Charles got us to safety."

Eleanor hears the man mutter something on the other side of the line. It sounds like  _"At least he's good for something"_ , and she tries hard to contain her smirk.

 _"What are we going to do now? What are your plans?"_  Flint asks and only then she realizes they didn't talk about their situation yet.

Considering how calculating and rational she blonde usually is, this is a damn miracle.

But they were busy with other stuff after arriving at the cabin anyway.

"Well, we... We didn't really plan anything yet."

There's a scoff from the other side of the line.  _"You have **got**  to be kidding me. Have you lost some of your wits now that you admit you're in love? What the  **hell**  have you two been doing since last night, then?"_

There's silence for a moment and she forces herself not to laugh when she hears him speak in a clearly uncomfortable tone. _"Do **not**  answer that question."_

As fun as this is, she had enough and is now slipping back into her rational self. "Look, you need to help us out. Gather Jack and Anne, then the three of you find out whether or not it's safe for us to return. Find out if the police knows who they're looking for. If someone saw the motorcycle. Then report back to us. We'll stay here in hiding in the meantime. If the coast is clear, Charles and I will go back so we can all decide what to do next, together. If not, we'll figure something else out."

Flint agrees, hesitating for a few seconds. She knows he has something else to say and waits patiently.

Until he finally speaks in a somehow awkward tone.  _"Tell Vane that if something happens to you, I'll kill him myself."_

He ends the call before she has the chance to say anything and she stares down at the phone screen with a soft smile, her heart filling with love.

This is such a soothing balm for her heart, already achy with the knowledge that she will have to leave Richard behind.

Looks like she'll still have a father with her anyway.

Shaking her head lightly and letting out a brief chuckle, she lays on the mattress, meeting Charles' eyes.

"Flint is so pissed with us."

He shrugs. "That's his own problem."

Eleanor rolls onto her stomach, the action bringing her closer to her Captain. Amusement flickers in his eyes and she frowns.

"What is it?"

"You do realize you were giving orders to  _my_  crew, right? And through  _Flint._ "

She smiles brightly, raising an eyebrow. "You do realize your  _'crew'_  has only two people."

A smirk tugs at his lips. "They're the only ones I'll ever need."

She lets her head drop to his chest, her smile not vanishing as he brings one hand to her messy blonde locks.

"Always knew you would make a damn good pirate queen."

A chuckle leaves her lips and she lifts her head to look at his face with a playful scowl, eyes shining with clear happiness. "Oh, is that what I am now? Captain Vane's pirate queen?"

He shrugs, unable to fight away the smile on his face. "Would you prefer what society usually says? That you're my _girlfriend?_ "

She grimaces. Definitely, this is  _not_  the right word for their relationship.

No. They are too unique for this.

"Pirate queen it is." She says, surprised to realize how much she actually likes the title. "There's one problem though. I'm sure a certain member of your crew would kill me or raise mutiny if I tried to give her any orders."

He laughs at that, agreeing with her completely. "Then be happy to just give orders to the other one for now."

She nods, eyes glued to his face. The song Max sent her shortly after the memories came back comes to her mind.

With Charles, she is a pyramid. Not just a grain of sand.

Eleanor tucks her hair behind her ear, bringing her face closer to his. "Hey. You put my ex-husband in a coma."

The smug, proud and satisfied look that comes to his face makes her heart flutter. "And how do you feel about that?"

Anyone else probably would have been able to hear only the smugness in his tone.

But she notices the insecurity he's trying hard to hide.

With a smile that looks just like the one she gave him in his tent three centuries ago, Eleanor presses a kiss to his lips.

"I feel... free. Thank you."

Their moment is broken when she realizes they both have dried blood on their skin.

 _His_  dried blood.

She's suddenly disgusted.

"Can we please go to the lake and wash Woodes' blood away from our skin?"

He nods, getting to his feet and she sits up, moving to the edge of the mattress.

A grimace comes to her face and she can't stop herself from wincing as she tries to get up.

The criminal frowns, helping her. "Just how hurt are you, exactly?"

She shakes her head, trying to walk to the door but he stops her, grabbing her chin and making her meet his eyes. "Eleanor.  _How much_  did I hurt you?"

"I'll be fine. Seriously. I'm just sore."

He clenches his jaw and she softly traces it with her fingers, trying to soothe him. "This pain is worth it. I wouldn't change anything about this morning... However, I could kill for a bathtub right now."

He rolls his eyes as they walk to the door, letting her lean on him for support in an attempt to help with her pain. "You have the biggest bathtub you could ever ask for right here."

Her eyes fill with wonder as he opens the door, revealing the lake and waterfall. She forgot just how beautiful this place is.

The couple walks into the lake in silence, until the water is reaching to their waists.

Silence reigns while they wash each other's skin, seeing their enemy's blood disappear in the ever warm water. It makes Eleanor feel strange now, to think about all the intimacy they shared throughout the night with Rogers' blood, a part of him, on their skin.

_As if he was there with them._

It's uncomfortable to think about it like that.

Next, she proceeds to examine the bruises on the criminal's face and abdomen, wanting to make sure her ex-husband hadn't made more damage than she thought. He seems to be fine, and she stares at him in question when he gently holds her face in one of his hands, his sea blue eyes examining her cheek closely while his thumb caresses her chin.

"How's it feeling? It left a few small cuts, when that bastard pushed you and you fell."

She completely forgot about that.

Now that he mentioned it, Eleanor actually feels a stinging sensation on her cheek, only intensified when he cleans the bruises with the water. A soft grimace comes to her face. "Is it bad?"

He shakes his head, pulling her further into the lake. "Just a few scratches. Should be gone in a few days."

"You put him in a  _coma_  just for a few scratches?" She asks with a raised eyebrow, swimming right into his arms when her feet can't reach the bottom of the lake anymore. He shrugs, holding her close while slowly guiding them to the waterfall.

"I could kill someone if I saw the person simply looking at you with hostility. So he was lucky, considering the fact that he hurt you physically. Besides... All that violence wasn't just because of that. We had a score to settle."

She nods, fingers going to his chest where the mark used to be.

"I'm still not used to this. Not feeling that bumpy mark anymore." She says mostly to herself, staring at his skin as he watches her face, entranced, as always.

"Do you miss it?"

"Not really. I just missed you."

He lets his lips brush her forehead before meeting hers, just as they reach the waterfall. It reminds her of that night when they kissed for the first time in this new life, in the pool back at the mansion.

It's funny to think about that beautiful night now, with all their memories returned. If there really is such a thing as "soulmates", that must be what they are.

And she's so glad they found each other.

So glad they couldn't stay away.

Just to think about how things could have been. If only Teach had chosen a different city to take his infant nephew to, all those years ago... If only he didn't have so many enemies, Charles could still be living in the Caribbean right now, far away from her.

She could still be trapped in that endless, deep depression, drowning in guilt and self hatred without even knowing why, having nightmares every night.

A sudden wave of realization crashes over her, just as her pirate leaves her lips to kiss his way down her neck.

_She owes it all to Teach._

If it wasn't for him, his enemies could have murdered Charles when he was just a few days old.

His uncle was the one who saved him from this fate, running away with him and keeping him safe when he was still such an innocent, fragile and tiny human being. He was the one who brought him to LA, out of all the cities in the world. Thanks to him, years later Charles found her and saved her.

_All thanks to Teach._

This thought brings a scowl to her face. It pisses her off. Fate can be such a sadistic thing.

She tries telling herself they would have found each other anyway if it wasn't for the criminal's uncle, but part of her can't help but feel grateful.

Because he kept the man she loves alive.

She sighs, feeling her pirate's lips on her neck and letting the pleasant sensation drive those annoying thoughts away from her mind.

For a moment she worries he will try to take things to the next level. She's too sore to find the idea appealing. But he simply continues to kiss and nip at her neck, slowly, making it clear that he wouldn't try anything, not until she recovered fully.

She clings to him, eyes falling closed, her legs loosely around his hips as she enjoys the feeling of his hands softly caressing her back and her sides. It amazes her that he's capable of such a gentle, careful touch. It's exactly the opposite of how he was touching her in the morning. And even though she can feel him hard against her inner thigh, he doesn't even try to take things further.

And it makes her heart flutter.

They stay in the lake until it starts to get dark, the temperature dropping and forcing them out of the water so they could seek refuge inside the wooden cabin.

He asks if she wants to eat, saying he could go get something in some small town nearby. But just like him, she has no desire to eat anything, recent events still taking their toll on both of them.

So he watches as she picks his discarded shirt up from the floor, pulling it over her head while he puts his jeans on again.

Their hair is still wet from the lake as Charles works on lighting the fireplace, a storm beginning to rage outside.

After checking both their phones and seeing there were still no news from LA, they silently settle on the couch in front of the fireplace with the bed's thick blanket, deciding to only check for news again in the morning.

They want to enjoy this time in their sanctuary for now.

"How's the pain?" The criminal asks, her heart skipping a beat just like it always does when she hears concern for her in his voice.

"A little worse now than it was when I woke up, to be honest. But it always gets worse before it gets better, right?"

He watches her face for a moment before nodding and looking over at the fireplace in front of them. There's an awkward atmosphere for a while, neither of them really used to this yet.

But soon, Charles lays down on his back, pulling her to his chest. Eleanor sighs in satisfaction, one hand grabbing a handful of his hair while she enjoys the warmth of his exposed chest and stares at the crackling fireplace. Between it, the storm falling heavily outside and the blanket over their bodies, this moment is so peaceful and relaxing.

Too peaceful.

A wicked thought comes to his mind and he contains his smirk before speaking. "You remember that horror movie we watched in the mansion?"

She groans. "That disgusting one? With the disfigured cannibals?"

Charles nods, caressing her arm. "The forest looked a lot like this one, didn't it?"

He feels her stiffen in his arms for a second before she scoffs at his words. "Don't even try. I know that was just fiction. And I also know what you're trying to do, but you can't scare me."

"Some fiction can be based on reality. In fact... I'm saying this because of what happened a few years ago."

He waits, knowing she was curious and trying to decide what to do. After a few seconds, she finally takes the bait.

"What happened?"

He smirks. "Jack, Anne and I were running from the police and ended up coming to hide in here. The next day, we went to a small town nearby to get food and heard... stories. About a strange group that could be seen sometimes in the depths of this very forest. People were disappearing from the town too. Usually the ones who ventured into the woods. We heard an old man say he saw this strange group's leader once. He said his face looked weird. And rumor has it, they like human flesh."

He notices the way she moves closer, almost imperceptibly. His fingers on her wrist let him know her pulse has quickened. His plan's working.

"That same night, while we ate, Jack kept staring at the door and the window. He was nervous as fuck and Anne and I were making fun of him for it, but then... We hear footsteps outside. Someone tries to open the door. I grab my gun... And when I have it pointed at the door, ready to blow someone's brains out, the footsteps retreat. After that, nothing else happened. Anne and I wanted to go out looking for our mysterious visitors but Jack didn't let us. After that, he spent a long time afraid of coming here."

She seems to consider his story for a moment before scoffing softly, though he notices the way she glances over at the window.

And she has goose bumps all over her arm.

"This is a bunch of crap. If this story was real, if there was any sort of danger in this place, you would have never brought me here. I know how much you love to mess with me, and I won't fall for this little story of yours."

He shrugs. "Suit yourself. Doesn't change the fact that it's true."

She stays silent for a while before sighing heavily. "Can you please go check if the fucking door is locked?"

He's unable to contain his chuckle and she hits his chest. "I'm not scared. Just want to be safe. We don't know if a wild animal may come in."

"Whatever you say." He gets up, walking over to the door while she gathers the thick blanket in her arms and heads to the bed.

After doing as she requested, he looks over his shoulder and finds her spreading the blanket out on the mattress, her back turned to him.

Stealthy as a cat, Charles closes the distance between them, grabbing her from behind.

And reveling in the short scream that leaves her lips.

He buries his face in her hair, still holding her tightly and letting out a brief chuckle because of what just happened.

Eleanor groans in annoyance, breaking free from his grip. "God, you're such a child! Your sister is probably more mature than you. That wasn't necessary!"

"But fun nonetheless." He repeats the words from the past again, just like he did some time ago at the hideout and she rolls her eyes as they settle on the bed.

"There are no cannibals, are there?" She asks, letting him pull her closer to his body.

For a moment, he considers lying to her. But he doesn't want to make her nervous, and unable to get her much needed rest.

"No. No cannibals. I was just messing with you, lady Honeypot."

As always, the old nickname makes her heart flutter, all her annoyance fading away.

"I knew that."

"If there were, I probably wouldn't be able to keep you safe. It would make them crazy to see you. White, soft meat..." He grips her thigh as if to emphasize his words, pulling her leg over his own, careful not to cause her pain as he spoke in her ear. "...a _damn fine delicacy_."

The desire is clear in his tone. It sends shivers down her spine. And again, she's amazed at how well he's managing to keep himself under control.

_Her well-being is more important._

Heart swelling with love, she sleepily glances up at his face with a teasing smirk. "I don't believe you. You would die before sharing this...  _delicacy_  with anyone else."

"You're damn right."

These are the last words she hears before falling asleep in his arms with a smile on her face, while the storm rages outside their little, warm and peaceful piece of heaven.

* * *

It's turning into a habit already.

Every time Eleanor wakes up, the first thing she does is to make sure her pirate is there beside her. After everything that happened, she doesn't really hate herself for doing this.

Who can blame her for it?

And thankfully most times he's right there by her side, arms holding her protectively.

_Now, however..._

Feeling nothing but a cold, empty spot beside her, Eleanor wakes up fully, sitting up in bed and glancing around the quiet cabin. He's not here.

Panic takes her over for a split second, a million possibilities running through her head. Did the police find them, did someone take him?

She quickly dismisses the scary thoughts. He would have put up a fight. There's no way she would have slept through all the commotion. Trying to keep that rational line of thought, she makes her way to the door, still wearing nothing but Charles' shirt. Maybe he's swimming in the lake, or checking the motorcycle, or even relaxing at the pier.

But her hopes are crushed when she opens the door.

He's nowhere to be seen.

Stepping outside, she takes a look around, calling his name one, two, three times.

The only answer she gets is the sound of the waterfall and the birds singing in the woods.

Her heart speeds up. She's alone in this place, completely alone in the unfamiliar woods, and where the  _fuck_  is Charles?

Trying to think clearly, Eleanor looks over her shoulder to where he had parked the motorcycle.

It's gone.

_Did he leave her?_

He wouldn't... Right?

Slowly making her way back inside and over to the bed, Eleanor sits on the mattress with a scowl, trying to think of a logical explanation for this.

Had it all been nothing but a scheme? Did he do all this driven by some sick desire for revenge?

Make her think he still loved her... Make her believe they were working things out. Only to wait until she confessed her feelings, until she lost all the devotion for Woodes... to abandon her?

Eleanor takes a shuddering breath, her walls coming up. That all too familiar hate for him begins to spread in her chest like fire and she clenches her jaw, reaching for her phone. Maybe Flint knows something; she can ask him to come pick her up.

But as she turns the device on, the first thing she sees is a text from that blue eyed bastard who stole her heart.

_Twice._

_"Went to that small town to get food for us. Hope you'll sleep well even while I'm gone, lady Honeypot."_

The hate fades away with each word she reads, a smile replacing the scowl on her face.

Feeling stupid now, she lays down on the mattress, extremely relieved. But soon worry comes creeping in. What if something happens to him?

After waiting for what feels like hours, she hears the motorcycle stopping outside and quickly gets to her feet as Charles opens the door with two plastic bags in his hands.

He raises an eyebrow at her, leaving the bags on the counter and unzipping his brown leather jacket, revealing his muscular chest and abdomen.

"You steal my shirt and I'm the pirate." He says with a half smirk, watching in satisfaction as her eyes drink in the sight of his exposed muscles.

With a roll of her eyes, Eleanor walks to the counter to see what he had brought, suddenly realizing just how hungry she is. The criminal leans against the wall, lighting a cigarette and watching her.

"We can eat at the pier if you want-"

His words are interrupted when her phone rings and they share a brief look before Eleanor rushes to the bed, grabbing the device and answering Flint's call.

He tells her they were able to find out that there were no witnesses, the person who reported the fight only heard it from inside their residence and the police still doesn't have any leads. It's probably safe for them to go back. But they already agree that pushing their luck and staying in LA is not an option.

After she ends the call, the couple heads to the pier and Eleanor tells him the news while they eat. Afterwards, as they sit on the edge of the pier, their feet in the warm water, the blonde lays her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh.

 _No going back now._  Just as she suspected.

"What do you wanna do now?" His grave voice asks as they watch the waterfall.

Eleanor shakes her head with a sigh, tears gathering in her eyes as she looks up at him, a determined look on her face.

"I want to go home."

He raises an eyebrow, knowing full well she wasn't talking about LA, her father's mansion or even the hideout.

"You must know... It's different now. Are you sure you're ready to see that place the way it is today? Almost everything we knew is gone. You sure you're ready to look where the tavern used to be and find some unfamiliar building instead?"

The words cause a tear to escape and trail down her cheek.

But as sad as the thought is, she needs this.

She needs her island.

"I don't know... But I just... I need to. Please, Charles. Just take me home. I just want to go home."

He nods, unable to deny her what she wants.

_As always._

"Alright then. Let's go home, Miss Guthrie."


	52. All the Things She Said

**_Los Angeles_ **

**_6 years ago_ **

_It sucks._

_Having to drive so far, to such a dangerous neighborhood, in order to be able to enjoy a simple night in a bar._

_She's still underage, a problem most teenagers solved with a simple fake ID, but her?_

_No. She doesn't have this luxury._

_No suck luck._

_In most bars, even if she showed a fake ID, no one would let her in. They all recognized her face and were scared of getting in trouble._

_No one wanted to take the risk of something bad happening to the daughter of Richard Guthrie in their establishment._

_No one wanted the CEO of the biggest Trading Company around coming in search of his daughter, police and lawyers in tow._ _She scoffs to herself, stopping her brand new BMW in front of the shady bar._

_If only those fools knew._

_As much as she actually wishes this could happen, she knows her father doesn't worry about her like any normal parent._ _He doesn't care enough to leave the comfort of the mansion to come looking for her._

_This is probably the dream of any teen her age. The ones with parents who are protective._

_The ironies of life._

_But she doesn't want to think about that tonight. All that matters is that a month ago she finally found a place that lets her in despite who she is. This place became her little refuge. Even if they worry about what consequences this may bring, they always let her in. She has large amounts of money to spend and they know it._

_The smell of alcohol and mold invades her senses as she steps foot inside the place. All eyes come to her for a brief moment and she clenches her jaw, doing her best to ignore all the stares as she makes her way to her usual spot._

_After the inevitable, initial discomfort, the blonde orders a drink, receiving it quickly. Sipping on the vodka cocktail, Eleanor takes a look around._

_There's people playing darts. People arguing loudly. Drunks passing out._

_All dressed very differently from the people she's used to seeing._ _There's not a single suit in sight. The only brand clothes are hers._

_It's refreshing._

_It feels strangely familiar to be in such an environment._

_Feels like home._

_And she has no idea where this weird thought comes from._

_With a sigh, Eleanor lifts the glass to press it to her temple, the cool sensation helping relieve her headache as she closes her tired eyes._ _She's been having the nightmare nonstop this week. It's driving her crazy._

_The images of that familiar, handsome man flash through her mind, his voice echoing in her head._

_That deep, rough voice. So perfect._

_So alluring._

_The teen presses her thighs together, feeling frustrated and a little ashamed that the mysterious man from her nightmares has such an effect on her._

_It makes no sense._

_Damn her hormones._

_As the alcohol flows through her system and she raises her hand to order a second drink, Eleanor tries hard to keep that horrible scene from playing in her mind._

_It's useless._

_Just as she's finishing the second glass, she sees it clearly._

_His neck bent in a strange angle._

_His body spasming._

_People holding him as the spasms slowly come to a stop..._

_As he **dies.**_

_A broken gasp leaves her lips, tears burning in her eyes._

_And just when she thinks her night can't possibly get any worse, someone sits on the barstool right next to hers._

**_Great._ **

_Some drunk man coming to harass her. Now she'll have to leave-_

_"Bad night?" A honeyed female voice asks and the exotic, wonderful accent makes Eleanor quickly turn her head to look at her face._

_Her heart skips a beat._

_So it's not a man at all._

_There's a girl, probably around her age, staring at her with a soft smile._

_She watches her in silence for a moment before forcing a half smile and nodding. "The worst."_

_The mysterious, weirdly familiar girl offers her a sympathetic smile._

_It gives her a strong sense of déjà vu._

_"Have I ever seen you before?"_

_"Don't think so. But I have seen you, Miss Guthrie. Is it true, what the media says? That you are a wild one?"_

_The blonde narrows her eyes at her before giving up and letting out a brief chuckle, déjà vu still strong as she examines the exotic girl's oddly familiar features._

_"Like what you see?"_

_Her accented words bring Eleanor back to reality and she quickly averts her eyes as they order more drinks._

_"What brought you here tonight? You look tired. Why aren't you sleeping at that big mansion of yours?"_

_"Trust me, I would be sleeping... if I could. What's your name, anyway? You know mine but I don't know yours."_

_The girl takes a sip of her drink, eyes glued to hers. "I'm Max."_

_Another wave of déjà vu._

_And why does she feel a sense of safety?_

_Relief._

_Like when you finally find something you spent a long time searching for..._

_Why does she feel that meeting this alluring girl brings her one step closer to something really huge and important?_

_Like she's just one big piece of a complicated puzzle Eleanor has always felt she needs to decipher. Even though she has no idea what this means._

_"You're from here? What's with the accent?"_

_Max shrugs as they drink again. "Yeah, born and raised in LA. I have no idea where the accent comes from though. It's my own special charm."_

_With a raised eyebrow, Eleanor downs the contents of her third glass, the alcohol making her tongue loose. "And what a charm it is."_

_The blonde only realizes she said the words out loud when the girl beside her lets out a joyful, melodic laugh. "I see you're like me. Good. I was worried you might be straight."_

_This makes her sober up a bit and she raises her chin. "I **am**  straight, actually."_

_Again, Max laughs. It's annoying this time._

_"My radar never fails. And I recognize a girl who's chained inside the closet when I see one. It's a talent."_

_Eleanor frowns. Deep down, she always knew there's something different about her. She's attracted to men, yes. But women have something so... peculiar._

_She always felt a little curious._

_**Really**  curious, to be honest._

_But after hearing her father and his guests talking about the subject at a dinner party back when she was 14, she repressed this part of herself._

**_"They are abominations, the lot of them. It is unnatural, against nature's laws. We need to show them once and for all that they have no place in society."_** _,_   _Richard had said to his close friend Peter, while Eleanor quietly taught the man's 7 year old daughter how to eat with a fork and knife. Poor Abigail was still so little back then, but her father was pressuring her to act like a grown up already._

_The words still pierce her heart to this day. But why?_

_Why does she feel her father's words as a painful rejection?_

_It's not like she's part of this world._

_Right?_

_"I like men." She says with a shrug, flinching away when the other girl reaches out to brush her hair behind her ear. Her hand stops in midair for a moment before Max brings it to rest on the counter, sighing softly._

_"I'm sure you do. I see it in your eyes. But... only men?"_

_With a scoff, Eleanor orders her fourth drink of the night. "And here I thought I was safe from being harassed when I saw you were another girl. Guess I was wrong."_

_Raising an eyebrow at her words, Max downs the contents of her glass. "Harassing? No. If you want me to leave you alone, all you need to do is ask. You'll never hear from me again. Promise. So, do you want that?"_

_Eleanor hesitates._

_And her heart skips a beat as the other girl's smile widens at her silence._

_"I just feel like having some company. That's all." She explains herself, words starting to slur a little._ _She's still learning how to deal with alcohol._

_Max nods, ordering another drink. "Alright. I will keep you company. How about we get to know each other a little? What do you like to do when you're not moping in bars?"_

_The blonde scoffs, though a smile is tugging at her lips._

_It's probably the first time she smiles for real this week._

_"I'm starting to convince my father to let me help manage the Company. I like it. Keeps my mind off of... stuff."_

_"Stuff? What stuff? Trouble at school?"_

_Eleanor shakes her head, their eyes locked as they drink. She refuses to look away._

_This girl has her entranced._

_"I wish it was that simple. I have... strange nightmares. They don't let me sleep. But school is easy, thankfully. I never had trouble learning. In fact, I'm ahead of everyone else."_

_Max raises an eyebrow, letting her hand slowly inch towards the other girl's arm on the counter. "You look like you're really smart. Want to talk about the nightmares? What do you see?"_

_The blonde shakes her head, trying to banish that mysterious man from her mind. "It's okay. I don't really feel like sharing this with anyone."_

_"Looks like I found myself an Ice Queen."_

_Eleanor laughs for the first time in the week. "It's not the first time someone calls me that."_

_The smile that comes to the other girl's face is so bright. It makes her heart feel lighter. "Then it must be true. But even Ice Queens have hearts."_

_She looks down at her arm when Max's hand finally touches her skin._

_A moment passes before she forces a smirk. "If you say so... But well, all I know is that I have a bladder..." She gets to her feet, swaying a little and holding on to the counter to regain her balance while the other girl watches her curiously. "...and it's full. Will you stay here? Or come with me?"_

_The ghost of a smirk comes to Max's face for a quick moment and she gets off the barstool, following Eleanor to the bathroom._

_Minutes later, the Ice Queen tries not to look at the other girl while washing her hands. Her stare is starting to make her uncomfortable and when she steals a glance at her face, Max pushes off the wall, wordlessly closing the distance between them, gently holding her face in her delicate hands._

_The alcohol coursing through her veins almost makes her trip on her own feet as the exotic girl slowly pushes her back inside the stall, closing the door behind them._

_There's just a moment of hesitation before her lips are on hers._

_And Eleanor feels as if a part of her has just been returned._

_This feels both different and natural at the same time. So unlike the kisses she has shared with boys, all taller than her._

_This girl is shorter._

_Soft, full lips..._

_Everything is so new and exciting. Feeling a delicate waist. Small, gentle hands running up her sides, pulling her closer, knowing exactly what to do, at the exact right time. She's so much more tender, so much better than all the clueless boys she ever kissed._

_And so passionate._

_She has thought about doing this before. But the real thing is unlike anything she could have possibly imagined._

_It's magical._

_Why the fuck did she wait so long?_

_She's on cloud nine, all her self-control flying out the window as she loses herself in the best kiss she has ever experienced up to now._

_She only realizes what Max is doing when it's too late._

_As the delicate hand moves under her skirt to feel the skin of her thigh, Eleanor breaks the kiss, eyes filled with alarm, a pained whimper leaving her lips._

_The other girl frowns, concern flickering in her eyes as she stares down at her pale legs. "Are you hurt? I felt..."_

_Before Eleanor can react, she lifts the hem of her skirt._

_Revealing the nasty results of the crisis she had last weekend, after the nightmare with that long haired man._

_Swallowing hard, the blonde leans her head against the wall, ashamed as hell, not wanting to look Max in the eyes and see all the judgement, all the mockery..._

_All the **rejection.**_

_"Self-harm?"_

_Her voice is so soft. So compassionate._

_This is not what she expected at all and Eleanor looks at her face with a confused frown as she offers her a sympathetic smile._

_"Poor thing. Your life isn't nearly as perfect as everyone thinks, is it?"_

_Tears come to her blue-green eyes. But she won't let them out. This girl is a stranger and she refuses to show such weakness._

_That doesn't mean she can't answer._

_"Not really."_

_Max hears the hint of sadness in her tone, though she was trying hard to keep it cold. It's heartbreaking and she suddenly has the urge to hold her again and make it all better._

_"Friends?"_

_Eleanor shrugs, trying hard to keep the Ice Queen façade up. "I have one, but... just because we sort of grew up together. I doubt she'd be my friend if it wasn't for that."_

_Max's kind smile goes straight to her heart as the exotic beauty takes one of her hands in hers._

_"You have me now."_

_Eleanor scoffs, walls coming up immediately. Tears are threatening to roll down her face so she tears her hand away from Max's and runs out of the bathroom, out of the bar, straight to the BMW._

_The world spins around her as she gets on the driver's seat and she realizes, frustrated as hell, that she can't drive in her current state._

_Unless she wants to suffer an accident, Eleanor needs to wait until the effects of the alcohol pass a little._

_Trapped. Unable to run like she always does when forced to face her emotions, the ones she tries so hard to keep locked away._

_So she watches helplessly as Max carefully approaches the car and gets on the passenger seat after hesitating for a moment._

_Silence stretches between them._

_"I understand you hide behind walls. I don't know what happened to make you so damaged. But I won't force you to speak either. All I know is that you need my help. Fate must have put me in your path tonight for a reason..."_

_Eleanor scoffs, shaking her head, finally meeting her eyes. "There is no such thing as fate. And don't bother pretending that you care. Not even my own father cares, why would you?"_

_Max narrows her eyes. "Is that why you're trapped inside the closet? Your father?"_

_The blonde lets out a broken sigh, hands gripping the wheel tightly. "He said it's against nature's laws-"_

_A scoff from the exotic beauty beside her makes her fall silent. "You see, that's the problem with these people. They want to put laws in everything! Even in something as pure and natural as love. Laws don't apply to love, mon ange. They never did and they never will. Those fools will only get a headache trying to do this, trying to achieve the impossible. And you know what? That's their own problem. While they do that, we're busy living our lives and being happy. No one should be afraid to love."_

_Eleanor's eyes are filled with pain and confusion as she looks at her face again, letting her see the inner conflict she was going through._

_Wanting to make things easier for her, Max reaches for one of her hands, trying to ease the tension in her fingers as they gripped the wheel. They finally relax under her soft caresses and she locks their fingers together, keeping their hands on the air between them with an understanding, warm smile. "The world is so full of surprises. Let it surprise you."_

_With a shake of her head and a tired look in her eyes, Eleanor stares at their hands. "What do you want from me, Max?"_

_"I just want to set you free. To help you. For some reason, I liked you. And I want to make you feel better. I can't stand the thought of leaving a girl to face the painful struggle that is breaking free from the closet on her own. Because I know from experience just how horrible that is."_

_"And what happens when you decide to leave? When you decide you had enough of my bullshit, when you are ready to abandon me?"_

_She squeezes her hand, rolling her eyes. "Please understand something. I will never, ever leave you..." They both frown, the phrase sending a wave of déjà vu over them. "...and I have absolutely no idea why I said that. It's not something I usually tell people I just met, but... It's the truth."_

_Eleanor narrows her eyes, watching her suspiciously. "And how do I know you're not promising that just because of who I am? My money? Because that's what it sounds like."_

_Max shrugs, reaching to brush her hair behind her ear. "You seem smart. If that was the case, I'm sure you'd figure it out eventually."_

_Eleanor watches her face closely, trying to decipher this strange, perfect girl as she played with her golden hair. Finally, the exotic beauty shrugs, meeting her eyes and speaking again._

_"Guess time will tell. Meanwhile, what stops us from having a little fun?"_

_A smirk comes to her lips and she leans in but the blonde lowers her face, not letting her kiss her again, desperately trying to keep her walls up._

_Max sighs, eyes coming to the cuts on the other girl's thighs. Her skirt was leaving some of them exposed as she sat there, not bothering with trying to cover them. Those delicate fingers carefully trace the unharmed skin around each one of the cuts._

_And surprisingly, Eleanor doesn't try to flinch away from her touch._

_"These lines... They tell a deep, painful story. One only you can read... Will you read it to me, maybe?" Max asks, meeting her eyes._

_She can't help herself, leaning in and letting their lips meet again._

_And as the kiss grows more heated, as they clumsily move to the backseat, the TV inside the shady bar shows news about a certain criminal trio that's wreaking havoc in the city._

* * *

Walking out the door, Eleanor takes a deep breath of the fresh air before heading over to the motorcycle. Her pirate glances at her as she reaches out to touch his arm with a smile on her face.

Hell is waiting for them once they get back to the city. They know they won't have much peace after leaving here.

And yet, for now, neither of them can fight away the soft smiles on their lips.

"You ready?" That grave voice asks as he brushes her hair behind her ear and she shrugs.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He hands her the helmet and she puts it on before climbing on the motorcycle seat behind him. Eleanor winces, a soft whimper leaving her lips involuntarily, and she prays he didn't notice.

But of course, Charles glances at her over his shoulder, tightening his grip on the handles to deal with the wave of self-hatred that washes over him.

"There are painkillers at the hideout, I'll get them for you as soon as we arrive, okay?"

She nods, holding tightly to his waist while he starts the motorcycle. As they ride away, she takes one last glance at the waterfall and the cabin, wondering when or  _if_  she'd ever see this place again.

* * *

They haven't said a word to each other since leaving their little paradise behind.

The silence is broken when the pair goes up the stairs, both frowning in confusion as they hear a sweet little voice coming from inside the main space of the hideout.

_Davina?_

Charles is quick to open the door, his eyes searching the place for his little sister.

But he only finds his accomplices, Max and Flint gathered around the notebook.

As they look over at the newly arrived couple, they realize where the child's voice was coming from.

The notebook screen showed the blue eyed little girl as she talked enthusiastically, holding shells in her hands.

"Oh, look who just arrived, kid!" Jack says as his leader makes his way over to the group and Flint silently gets up from the chair in front of the desk so the other man could speak to Davina.

Her big blue eyes light up and she can't help herself, calling her big brother by the nickname even though there were more people around to hear.

He makes a face, sighing heavily.

"We really need to find another nickname, Davy."

Jack clears his throat, looking at the notebook screen with a smirk.

"Call him Chas, kid."

The leader gives him a sharp look of warning and Eleanor has to fight hard against the urge to laugh, sharing a look with her old ally as Flint comes to stand by her side.

"What happened to your face?"

There's a hint of concern in his voice and she opens her mouth to speak but her lover is faster, glancing at them over his shoulder.

"Governor pushed her and she fell."

Flint's jaw clenches as Charles focuses his attention back on his sister.

"I'm fine. Just a few scratches." She says, noticing how Max and her new father figure are watching her closely. "What?"

"Aren't you going to ask about Rogers? Ask if there were any changes? If he's any better?"

All eyes except Charles' are on her, but she can feel the tension coming from him as Davina shows him her collection of shells. Raising her chin, Eleanor looks at the others before meeting Max's eyes to answer her question.

"No. Because I don't give a damn." With a smirk and a wink, she leaves her surprised friend to share a incredulous look with Flint, making her way over to the desk.

Bringing her hands to the criminal's shoulders, she smiles brightly as Davina squeals, saying her name with an adorable glint in her eyes.

And her heart fills with love when she notices the familiar anchor necklace the little girl is wearing.

"Hi sweetie. That necklace looks good on you."

"Eleanor, I miss you!"

"Davina, watch your words!" Mary says, walking up to the little girl's side. "You know no one can hear her name."

Charles grows serious, watching as his former lover sits in front of the webcam, pulling his sister on her lap. "Have you talked to Teach again?"

"No. It was just that time. But people say he's been acting weird. Distant."

He thinks for a moment, reaching to touch his Pirate Queen's hand as it rested on his shoulder. "And he doesn't suspect that Eleanor and I are..."

"Together? No. He has no clue about her existence. Don't worry."

He nods, glancing up at the blonde while Mary speaks again, covering Davina's ears. "Max told me what happened with Rogers. Thank you so much for that. And you'll have to tell me that story in details soon. I wish I could have beaten that bastard up too."

He nods with a half smirk while Davina seems to be in deep thought. Finally, the child looks up from her fingers. "Charlie, if Teach is your uncle and you're my brother, it means he's my uncle too, right?"

"No, kid."

"Why?"

He sighs heavily. This is what he really doesn't miss about Davina. The constant questions. He knows it's something all children do, but the already natural curiosity is only worse with this little girl.

She  _is_  his sister, after all.

Jack runs to his rescue.

"He's Charles' mother's brother. And the blood relation between you and our leader exists because of your father, not because of Naomi. Teach isn't related to your father. Therefore, there is no blood relation between you and him."

His words make her adorably confused.

"But how can we have someone else's blood? It makes no sense..." She trails off and they see Mary clearly trying to contain her laughter as her adoptive daughter asks the question most dreaded by adults. "How are babies made, Charlie?"

He clenches his jaw while Eleanor laughs quietly beside the chair.

"When do you plan on giving her the talk?" He asks Mary, trying not to look at his sister's face.

"Oh, I'm saving the honor for you, actually."

Horror flickers in his eyes. "No fucking way."

Mary gives him a stern look. "You want to be a part of her life, right? Sorry to break it to you, but this involves more than telling her bedtime stories and playing with her, or letting her have ice cream before dinner and teaching her how to roll a stupid coin across her knuckles. Raising a child is an amazing experience, but not always easy. And I want you to learn that. You have responsibilities now. Want to be a part of your sister's life? Then you better help me raise her."

Again, he clenches his jaw, looking up at Eleanor's face in a silent request for help.

But he finds no mercy in her eyes, and she shrugs. "I'm with Mary. She's your sister. So you're the one who will give her the talk. Sounds fair to me. You  _do_ need to learn a thing or two about responsibilities, anyway."

The look he gives her lets her know she'll pay for this later. It's filled with sinful promises and she shivers, despite the pain that still lingers as result of that wild morning at Teach's cabin.

A throat clearing brings her out of her thoughts and Flint speaks, trying not to sound as impatient as he felt. "Sorry to ruin the little... family moment, but we have some more pressing matters to discuss."

Feeling a strange wave of gratitude, Charles says goodbye to his sister and Mary, letting the others do the same. He tries hard to ignore the weird sense of happiness that's spreading in his chest now that he spoke to Davina again after all those weeks.

_He missed her._

But no one needs to know about that.

So he heads to the cabinet near the fridge to retrieve the painkillers he promised his Pirate Queen as everyone gathers around the table.

Eleanor winces while sitting down, just as he returns with the pills and sits on the chair right beside hers, wordlessly handing her the painkillers and a water bottle from the fridge.

Flint frowns in concern as he watches this. "Are you in pain? What's wrong?

Her eyes meet Charles' for a split second, an almost imperceptible blush coming to her cheeks. "A little, because of when I fell."

A smirk tugs at the criminal's lips as he squeezes her thigh under the table in silent approval.

What a good liar she is.

Some things definitely never change.

Looking up at Max, Eleanor finds her with raised eyebrows, a smirk and knowing look on her face. She rolls her eyes at her friend.

Apparently Anne didn't buy this story either. She shakes her head slightly while her partner begins to speak, blissfully clueless about the real source of Eleanor's pain.

"What have you decided, Charles? Where are we going?"

The leader lights a cigarette, taking a drag before looking at his old friend. "We're going home. And it's final. If you want to go somewhere else, I don't care. But Eleanor and I are going home."

A smile tugs at her lips, her heart fluttering as her pirate brings an arm around her shoulders in such a natural gesture...

Jack scoffs. "I think that by now we all know Anne and I will follow you wherever you go. After everything that happened, not only in the past, but in this new life too, going our separate ways is not an option."

He considers the words before looking over at Anne as she stood behind her partner's chair.

"You agree with what he said?"

The redhead shrugs. "We've been together for the last two decades, working perfectly as a trio. God only knows what disasters could happen if we decided to split up. It would be like taking a bird that spent his whole life caged and releasing it into the nature. The poor bastard wouldn't last a week. So we'll follow you. Even if it means I'll have to put up with that annoying little plaything of yours."

Eleanor rolls her eyes at the words while Charles' thumb caresses her exposed shoulder, his other hand offering the half-finished cigarette to her. She accepts, bringing it to her lips as Flint finally speaks up.

"We could go to Rhode Island. The Walrus will be there until the weekend, then she leaves for the Bahamas like she does every time the month comes to an end-"

Jack shakes his head slightly, a confused frown on his face. "I'm sorry, the Walrus? I thought-"

"It's a cruise ship." Eleanor says and he meets her eyes. "It's his. And it was the Dahlia before, but Flint renamed it."

"I see." Jack says, eyes moving from her face to his leader's hands as he retrieves something from the pocket of his leather jacket. A heavy sigh leaves his lips as he sees Charles light a cigar and take a drag before offering it to Anne, who accepts immediately. "It's been a while, I thought you two had lost this habit."

"Saw them while getting food for Eleanor and I this morning at that small town near the cabin. Couldn't resist."

His old friend scoffs, looking over at the redhead as she smoked. "Darling, do you have an idea how bad this thing is for you?"

She simply blows the smoke into his face before wordlessly handing the cigar back to their leader.

And Eleanor feels entranced while watching him bring it to his lips. It's just like the past.

But she soon comes back to reality, moving one hand so it rested on Charles' thigh under the table.

"To me, that sounds like a good idea. It's the best way for us to travel safely. With someone we can trust." She meets her pirate's eyes. "What do you think?"

He studies her face for a moment, giving an almost imperceptible nod. "We'll go with the cruise ship."

The criminal revels in the way her eyes light up, a soft, grateful smile coming to her lips.

God, he lives for those smiles.

"You sure?" Jack asks in a cautious tone and he looks over at him.

"Her decision will be respected. From now on, she can give orders, and they will have just the same value as mine. So you two better start getting used to it."

An incredulous scoff comes from Anne and Jack frowns, the look in his eyes clearly a plea for their leader to reconsider what he just said. "Captain. Are you sure this is wise?"

"Told you he's just thinking with the lower head when it comes to  _her._  Like always." Anne says in a rough voice, glaring daggers at the newest member of their little family, and Max walks over to the other side of the table, holding one of her hands in hers to calm her down.

"I made my decision. And it's final."

Flint rubs his forehead. "Is it settled, then? We'll go with my ship?"

They nod their agreement and Charles hands the cigar to Anne again before looking at Jack's tired face. "How long does it take to get to Rhode Island by car?"

He grimaces. "It's literally on the other side of the country, you know that, right?"

He just keeps staring at his accomplice, and Jack sighs heavily. "We could probably do it in two days, if we drive nonstop. Taking turns. But I imagine you will want to take the motorcycle, since you're so fond of that thing. So it will probably be better if we make stops in motels to rest. Which means it would take around... 4, 5 days."

Charles considers his words before glancing over at Flint. "The Walrus leaves on the weekend?"

"Saturday." He replies with that usual bored look as Eleanor finishes the cigarette, laying her head on her pirate's shoulder with a sigh, though still paying close attention to the conversation taking place at the table.

"To Nassau?"

The owner of the cruise ship nods.

"It's Sunday night. So we'll get there in time if we leave soon. Like tomorrow morning." Jack speaks, eyes glued to the cigar as Anne hands it to their leader again.

Max frowns. "Why not just take a plane?"

Anne clenches her jaw, clearly uncomfortable with the question. "It would draw too much attention. Especially considering the new pest Charles decided to bring to stay with us."

The other woman raises an eyebrow, knowing there was something else to this story.

"And traveling on a cruise ship won't?"

Anne huffs impatiently, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, and Eleanor sees a smirk tugging at Charles' lips when she glances up at his face.

"I don't  _like_  planes, okay?"

Both Max and Eleanor look at the redhead's face, eyes filled with disbelief.

"Are you serious? You're scared of planes?"

Anne scoffs at Max's words. "I'm not  _scared._  I just think those things are designed to fall. And I really want to return home, not end up in a crazy Island somewhere with polar bears, and hatches and all that shit."

Her tone is dripping with sarcasm and Max bursts out laughing. "I seriously can't believe you sometimes. Did you know more people die in car accidents than in plane crashes? It's a lot more common."

"I don't give a shit. I'm not gonna step foot on a fucking plane. Never. We go by car."

Max sighs, eyes still filled with amusement. "Well good luck not killing each other, spending five days traveling together. The four of you will be lucky if you get to Rhode Island alive."

Eleanor frowns, trying to ignore the pain in her heart. "You're not coming with us?"

She offers her a warm smile, shaking her head. "I'm not ready to leave this place yet. You see... There was much less pain and suffering in my life this time, I'm not ready to go back there, to connect with the past and all the hard times I faced back then. But don't worry. I promise that as soon as I'm ready, Idelle and I will pack our stuff and meet you guys there."

Eleanor sighs at her words, but nods anyway. "I hope that will be soon."

"Me too, darling. Me too."

Not liking the sudden heavy atmosphere, Charles hands the cigar to Anne, his other hand softly squeezing his Pirate Queen's arm as she laid her head back on his shoulder before he looks over at Flint.

"You with a cruise ship. Who would've ever known."

He raises an eyebrow, a smart retort already on the tip of his tongue. "I believe people from our past would be even more surprised to see the feared, savage Captain Vane with a nine year old sister, teaching her how to play with a coin and giving her... the talk."

Eleanor tries hard to contain her smirk, suddenly realizing just how much fun she'll have watching these two interact.

And she could have had this, all those years ago.

If only she had dropped that key, choosing the right path and walking back through that gate, right into his arms...

That all too familiar regret cuts her like a knife.

But she can have all this now. And she will cherish every minute of it.

The blonde takes a look around, suddenly grateful that these people accept her presence here, after everything she did.

Well, maybe acceptance isn't exactly the right word on Anne's case.

But at least she's not trying to murder her.

"Well, it's getting late. I'll go home. Still want to spend the night with me before you guys leave?" Max asks and Anne nods, grabbing the two helmets and walking out the front door.

The other woman glances at Eleanor. "Can we have a word?"

She frowns, sharing a brief look with Charles before nodding and following her out the door.

As Anne checks the motorcycle downstairs, Max speaks in a hushed voice. "I need to tell you something. I heard... some gossip."

Eleanor scoffs at that. "Gossip? Really? You're confusing me for Idelle."

"You'll want to hear this one. Believe me...

What I want to tell you is that... In a few months, Mason Rogers will be an uncle."

Eleanor stays silent, trying to remember if Mason's wife, who she met during a dinner party at Woodes' mansion, had any siblings.

She didn't.

And he only has one brother.

_So that left..._

"You mean..."

"Yes."

She exhales deeply, frowning in pure confusion, and Max is quick to explain.

"While you two were 'engaged', you slept with Vane and Rogers slept with his ex-wife. This sickening relationship was even 'healthier' in this new life than in the previous, it seems." Her tone is dripping with sarcasm. But she's watching her face closely, searching for any signs of heartbreak. And finding none. "How do you feel about that?"

Eleanor shakes her head, still completely stunned by the news. "God, I'm so relieved I dodged that bullet."

Max smirks proudly. "Believe me, I'm just as relieved as you are. So... the painkillers weren't really for the fall, huh?"

A blush comes to the blonde's cheek, though she can't fight away the soft smile on her lips. "We got a little... carried away."

Her friend laughs at her words. "I knew it. But I don't blame you. You two have a  _lot_  of catching up to do."

She nods in agreement, a happy glint coming to her eyes. "We do. And I can't wait for it. It feels so  _good_ , to be doing the right thing, following the right path... You have no idea how much. I feel so light. And... It's the best thing I ever felt, to finally be with the man I love, no barriers, no lies, no games or ulterior motives. This is just... perfect."

Max's own eyes glint at her words, and she reaches to squeeze one of her hands. " My Ice Queen is melting."

Eleanor smiles warmly, recognizing the reference from the day they first met in this new life, just as the front door opens behind them.

A bright smile comes to Eleanor's face as she reaches for her pirate, letting him put an arm around her waist and pull her closer. Max fakes a stern look. "Be more careful from now on, I know the real reason behind her pain."

A half smirk comes to his lips. "She's too irresistible."

The other woman glances down at the garage area, making sure Anne wasn't hearing their conversation before giving him a conspiring look. "Can't say I disagree."

Eleanor looks at her in disbelief, laughing briefly while Charles pressed a kiss to the side of her head. Their little moment is broken when Flint joins them, closing the door behind him and meeting his old ally's eyes.

"I'm going back to the hotel for the night. Need to make a phone call to make sure there will be cabins available for you. I trust two is enough? One for... you and Vane, and other for Jack and Anne? Or do I need to book an extra one in case there are fights?"

She shakes her head. "We won't fight. Even if we do, we'll be okay in the same cabin."

Charles nods in agreement. "And if Jack and Anne fight, she'll probably just throw him overboard."

Eleanor lets out a chuckle, watching as Max said goodbye to them and went down to the garage area before Anne started the motorcycle and rode away with her.

The blonde takes a deep breath, forcing a smile and meeting Charles' eyes.

"Can you give me a moment with Flint?"

He glances at the other man for a moment then looks at her face again, sighing heavily. "Make it quick. Jack and I will start packing our stuff."

She nods as he lets go of her. "I'll go help shortly."

As soon as the criminal closes the front door behind him, leaving them alone, Eleanor grows serious, her smile vanishing.

"What is it?" Flint asks, knowing there's something on her mind.

"I need your help with something." She pauses, glancing at the door then moving closer and speaking in a hushed tone. "Do you think you can sneak into my father's office to retrieve something? Scott will help you."

He frowns. "What do you need me to retrieve?"

"It's... something that will ensure our safety. Mine and Charles'. And well, his crew's as well. The last thing we need is the world thinking I've been kidnapped. I don't want them to go to prison because of me. I don't want to separated from him. And there's something in my father's office, he has no idea I know about it, but it will give us the leverage we need. I will use it to blackmail him, so he'll make sure to come up with a good excuse when the city starts to notice I'm gone."

"And may I know what this mysterious item is?"

She leans in to whisper the answer in his ear. A smirk comes to his face, eyes shining with pride as she pulls away. "I see you're just as smart as you were before."

She shrugs, smiling brightly. But a haunted look soon comes to her eyes. "And well, I want to say goodbye to my father too. I need this."

Flint sighs heavily but seems to understand. "I'll come pick you up. I can break into the mansion and get Richard for you. Think you can bring yourself to leave Vane's arms and sneak out later tonight?"

She nods, trying to ignore the pain that comes to her heart as she remembers that night in the fort.

"I did it once. Can do it again. But what about the item we need? Who will retrieve it?"

He smirks and she sees the small trace of affection in his eyes. "Oh, I know just the right person for the job. Don't worry."

_John._

She nods, praying he will be able to convince the con man to help them. "Okay. I'll text you in a while so we can discuss the details."

He goes down the stairs and she bites her lip.

"Flint?"

He glances up at her with a questioning look in his eyes and she gives him one of those rare, unguarded smiles, the ones usually only her Captain has the privilege of seeing. "Thank you."

He stares up at her face for a few seconds before smirking and nodding at her.

And Eleanor tries hard to ignore how nervous she feels while he leaves the hideout.


	53. Two Goodbyes

Eleanor doesn't fail to notice how closely Charles is watching her as they silently work on packing their stuff. She knows him, and she also knows he's itching to ask why she requested a moment alone with Flint.

Finally, she sighs heavily, meeting his eyes just as she finishes packing her clothes. "I just needed to thank him, that's all. If it wasn't for him and his cruise ship, we'd be fucked. It would be so much harder to get to Nassau. And you know that this is the safest way. We will be safe on the Walrus. Because we're not doing anything illegal, for now."

She walks over to stand in front of him, arms crossed, and he sighs.

"Then what are you so nervous about?"

She frowns at his words. "I'm not nervous. Just... slightly anxious. About seeing our home again, seeing the way it looks now."

Charles narrows his eyes, about to say something, but then Jack appears at the door of the room. "How's it going?"

Charles steps away from her, gesturing at their bags on the bed. "All ready. What about yours and Anne's?"

"All packed too. So how are we going to do this? You think we can fit all the bags in one vehice?"

He nods, walking over to the bed and grabbing both his and Eleanor's bags. "Yes, if we take the Ford Ranger. And I want to have everything ready before going to sleep. So we can leave first thing in the morning. We'll just need to go over to Max's place and pick Anne up, then we leave..." He glances at Eleanor. "And Scott will be there with Caroline and his daughter so they can say goodbye to you."

She nods, trying to ignore the pain in her heart, telling herself that soon they would all be reunited in Nassau.

"And the guns?" Jack asks, following his leader as he walked out of the room, Eleanor close behind them.

"We take the basic ones, just for safety. It would be too risky to take them all. We can get new ones later."

She sees Jack nod his agreement as they make their way downstairs to the garage area, and only then Eleanor notices he has something in his hands.

_A picture?_

Charles notices it too, after loading their bags in the back of the truck. And she sees the concern that flickers in his eyes for a fraction of a second. "You okay?"

His accomplice nods, glancing at the picture with a heavy sigh. "Yeah. Just want to have it on me when we travel. I don't want to run the risk of it being ruined during the journey. It will be safer with me."

The leader nods, averting his eyes in a almost awkward manner, as if he didn't know how to act. And that's when Eleanor sees that the picture shows a baby with brown eyes and black hair identical to Jack's.

A memory from months ago, back when they didn't know who they were yet, comes crashing over her.

_Jack's little sister._

The one who died in the fire.

She can't help herself. "What was her name?"

Both men look at her and Jack sighs again, glancing at his leader. "I see you told her."

Charles just shrugs as his accomplice looks at Eleanor's face again. "Julia. Her name was Julia."

"Julia." She repeats, suddenly feeling a strange wave of sympathy for Jack. "I know you won't believe my words. But I am truly sorry for what happened to her. I know what it's like. My father blamed me for my mother's death too."

He narrows his eyes at her for a moment, Charles watching the interaction between them curiously.

Finally, Jack looks away, turning around to walk back towards the stairs. "I'll go get mine and Anne's bags."

When they are alone in the garage area, Charles holds her chin in his hand, looking her in the eyes. "Be patient. All in due time."

With a heavy sigh, she nods, forcing a smile and laying her head on his shoulder.

* * *

After spending the last hour helping the two men load everything in the truck and double checking the whole hideout to make sure they wouldn't leave behind anything that could give out their identities, Eleanor changes into her short purple nightgown, the one her pirate loves so much. The same one she was wearing the night they had their first time in this new life.

And as always, she sees his eyes darken as he lays in bed, watching her like a hawk. But he controls himself, simply pulling her to his chest when she joins him.

Sighing in satisfaction, Eleanor grabs a handful of his hair, once more missing the anchor necklace she loves so much, the one that's now around Davina's neck, on the other side of the ocean.

"How do you feel?" That grave voice asks and she smirks, meeting his eyes.

"Still in pain. So don't even think about it."

He narrows his eyes at her, seeing how she was trying to hide behind her walls. "That's not what I asked, and you know it. I'm asking how does if feel to know that tomorrow, you will run away with me and leave this place behind for good... You will leave Rogers and your father behind. And the others too. Your mom. Scott. Madi. Max. How do you feel about that?"

She shrugs, lowering her eyes. "The others will soon join us in Nassau."

"And what about the other two?"

She stays silent for a while, their eyes locked.

And for a moment, she considers telling him about her plans of talking to Richard one last time.

But Eleanor has no idea how he would react to that. And the fear of seeing her father's dead body again makes her keep her mouth shut.

"I'm doing the right thing... Choosing the right path. At last. And I won't lie, it hurts. So much. I really, really wish things could be different. If only Caroline had not died when I was born... Maybe he could have loved me. Maybe he could have been a good father to me. Maybe... she would have prevented him from trying to make me marry Rogers. He could have been a better person, and when you and I finally found each other again, he could have met you... Can you imagine that?"

His chest fills with disgust at that thought. But Eleanor's eyes are shining with such happiness as she thinks about this scenario, and he can't stand the idea of ruining her little moment.

So he just watches her face, until she comes back to reality and finally speaks again.

"And Charles, he may not be the best person in the world, but one thing is true... He loved my mother with all his heart. In the previous life  _and_  in this one. And both times, she was harshly and suddenly taken away from him. Imagine what this does to a man's heart. What would you feel like if I died, all of a sudden? I'm not defending him. I know that what he did to me... There is  _nothing_  that can redeem him. But at least try to understand him a little. Deep down, he's nothing but a broken hearted man."

Charles clenches his jaw, fingers tracing the scars on her exposed thigh. They only make his hatred against Richard grow stronger. She only has them because her shit of a father refused to help her, not seeking treatment for her depression and leaving her to deal with her pain on her own.

"He was ready to hand you over as if you were nothing. Not caring what would happen to you. And in this life, he let those two bastards take you to their family's mansion, he turned his back to you, not even thinking twice. You are his daughter. A broken heart is no excuse for abandoning his own child, the person he was supposed to protect and take care of..." He shakes his head, grip tightening on her waist. "Thank God you had Scott."

Eleanor sighs, knowing it's useless to try talking to him about this.

"And Rogers?"

She scowls, moving even closer to his body. "When are you going to understand that I don't want to see his stupid face, ever again? I hate him now, Charles. So I'm actually eager to put as much distance as I possibly can between me and him... And I hope he never comes back from that coma."

He smirks at her words, his heart feeling a lot lighter. But he knows her, and he's seeing something in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Remember when Max said she wanted to have a word with me? Well, it turns out that... Woodes will be a father."

Horror flickers in his eyes for a moment.

And she's quick to explain.

"He never stopped seeing his ex-wife. Not even while we were 'engaged', he kept going back to Sarah. And well, guess there were... consequences."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I feel... strange, to be honest. Makes me think about the baby. And I won't lie, it does make me a little sad. Sometimes I think about my child. And how much I wish he or she could have survived. If only I was already further into the pregnancy when I died, the baby could have had a chance..."

Charles scoffs, trying hard to keep his hand from traveling to her stomach. "I don't know what fate is worse. Death or growing up with the governor as a father. And considering everything that happened after your death, maybe it was better this way for the child. He or she wouldn't have been safe. And you know that."

"I guess... But it doesn't change the fact that... It hurts."

He sighs heavily, not really knowing how to act. "Of course it does. You lost your child. Of course it hurts."

Eleanor can tell he's growing restless. This subject is surely even harder for him than it is for her. So she stays silent, looking him in the eyes. There's a sudden urge to say those three little words.

But she simply can't bring herself to do it.

_I love you._

Eleanor settles for pressing a kiss to his lips, letting her eyes tell him what she couldn't say.

And he understands.

He understands.

* * *

His calm, even breathing lets her know he's sound asleep.

She's nervous as hell, counting the minutes in her head and knowing he's been asleep for almost an hour already... and this feels so much like that fucking  _cursed_  night at the fort.

Tears burn in her eyes as Eleanor carefully slips out of his embrace, laying on her side for a moment. If he woke up, it would just look like she moved out of his arms in her sleep.

But Charles just rolls onto his side as well, turning his back to her. She holds her breath, waiting another minute, making sure he's still out like a light.

Not making a noise, she gets out of bed and heads to the now empty dresser, looking at the two outfits she had folded and left on top of the piece of furniture for Charles and her to wear in the morning.

After changing into hers, she glances at the asleep pirate, hesitating for a moment before making her way to the bed. Trying not to let her tears out, Eleanor softly kisses his forehead, heart aching as she remembers that painful, familiar situation from three hundred years ago.

After watching his peaceful face for a few seconds, she sighs and walks to the door, glancing at his sleeping form one last time and leaving the room.

She's so relieved that Anne is spending the night at Max's. That woman is a really light sleeper.

Her heart only feels even heavier as she grabs the front door key from the table and her tears almost win when she unlocks the door and makes her way downstairs to the garage area, repeating a mantra over and over again in her head.

_"It's not a betrayal. It's not a betrayal. I'm just doing this for Charles' own safety, I am not stabbing him in the back again. It's not a betrayal."_

Immediately seeing Flint's rented car when she leaves the hideout, Eleanor runs to it, silently getting on the passenger seat and avoiding her old ally's eyes. He sees her inner turmoil, not even having to ask what was bothering her so much.

He knows exactly which demons from the past are torturing her right now, and his heart clenches for her.

After a moment's hesitation, he reaches for her hand, giving it a soft squeeze and offering her a kind smile when she finally meets his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I can just retrieve the item you need and then bring it here to you."

She sighs, shaking her head. "I already said goodbye to Woodes. Need to do the same with him."

He watches her face for a moment, seeing the tears glinting in her eyes. "It will be okay, Eleanor. You're not betraying him this time."

The tears almost run down her cheeks and she lets out a shuddering breath, averting her eyes and pulling her hand away from his.

"Drive. Let's get this over with."

* * *

"You two are lucky that Madi threatened to stay away from me for a month if I didn't help."

Flint rolls his eyes at John's words as the con man complained from the backseat, not even bothering with giving him an answer.

They just picked him up at Scott's and are now on their way to the mansion.

Glancing at the anxious blonde beside him for a moment, he sees her staring at her phone screen, probably afraid that any moment a text from Vane would arrive, demanding to know where she was.

"Have you talked to Scott?"

She nods, finally looking away from the phone. "There's a forgotten garden on one of the mansion's sides. It provides easy access to the inside, and lucky for us, it's close to my father's room. Scott will be there to unlock the gate for us."

"And is it safe?" John grumbles from the backseat and she glances at him, nodding again.

"Yes. Perfectly safe. Charles once was able to pick me up at this garden, while a party was taking place at the mansion. And we weren't caught. Only Abigail saw him, but she kept her mouth shut."

Flint frowns, glancing at her. Maybe if he keeps her talking, it will distract her from worrying about Vane. "Abigail is around too?"

She notices what he's trying to do, heart swelling with affection and gratitude. "Yes. I've known her since she was a baby. My father is close friends with Peter. I took care of her many times... Shit, I really need to think about what I'll say to her. I can't just leave her without any explanation. She sees me as a role model."

John scoffs from the backseat. "Poor girl."

Flint looks at the rearview mirror, meeting the con man's eyes in it and giving him a warning look, but John keeps his stare until he's forced to look away to pay attention to driving.

Eleanor notices and clears her throat, glancing down at her phone again, relieved that there's no text from Charles yet.

Maybe she'll actually be able to get away with this... She prays she will.

* * *

With one last worried glance, Mr. Scott leaves the garden to go back to his duties and Eleanor turns around, reaching into her pockets for the two maps she had drawn earlier while Charles was in the shower.

"Initially, the route is the same. But once you reach this staircase here..." She says, fingers resting over the spot on Flint's map. "...you'll have to split up. In John's map, I drew the way to the office, and in yours, the way to my father's room. Think you can make it?"

He nods and John sighs heavily. "Let's get this over with already so I can leave this damn place and go back to Madi. I'll go pick the lock."

Flint watches him go for a moment before focusing his attention back on Eleanor, seeing her staring at the mansion, deep in thought.

"You okay?"

She nods, forcing a smile. "There's nothing but pain and suffering in this place. The only happy childhood memories I have are in Mr. Scott's house. If anything, I'll miss it more than the mansion. In fact, the only happy moments I had in this place are the ones I shared with Charles. But he and I will make new memories, in new places. So it doesn't matter."

Her new father figure offers her a soft, brief smile, patting her shoulder before turning around to check on John's progresses with the door.

Soon, the two men find themselves silently walking the dark corridors, robber's masks covering their faces.

"I've been meaning to ask... How are you doing? Are you alright? Happy?"

The con man's hushed words catch him by surprise and Flint meets his eyes for a moment, sighing heavily when they stop in front of the staircase. "Happiness is relative. What about you?"

He nods. "Life has been good. Even more after I found her again and the memories came back... What about Thom-"

"Don't you  _ever_  ask me about him. Ever." His suddenly cold, dangerous voice makes John fall silent. They stare at each other for a moment and the other man sees the pain in Flint's eyes clearly, nodding at him.

"Okay. I won't."

"This is the staircase. We need to go up, then follow different corridors. Eleanor wrote the instructions on how to find the item we need on the back of your map. Happy hunting."

A roguish half smirk comes to John's lips and he winks at him as they go up the stairs. "Blast from the past."

"Be careful." Flint warns him when they part ways, rolling his eyes at the overly confident look on his face.

* * *

Each second feels like an eternity. It's been only ten minutes, but Eleanor has the impression she's been waiting in this garden for years.

Her heart is beating wildly, hands sweating despite the cool breeze. And every fucking time she hears the faintest noise, she quickly looks at the gate in horror, afraid it was Charles coming in search of her.

_"It will be okay. It will be okay."_ , she keeps telling herself in her head.

But it doesn't work.

She just wants Flint and John to come back already, she wants to have the item they need in her hand, to stare at her father's face and tell him everything she wants him to hear so they can leave, so she can go back to the safety and the comfort of her pirate's arms.

But at the same time, Eleanor doesn't want this last meeting to come.

_Is she even ready for this?_

Ready or not, she soon hears a pair of footsteps making their way to the garden from inside the mansion. It sounds as if one of the people is struggling, trying to break free as the other drags him forcefully.

_This is it..._

The first thing she notices, is that he's drunk.

Not too drunk, but enough for it to be apparent. He also has dark bags under his eyes, letting her know he's having trouble sleeping. His wrists are tied together and Flint put a silver tape over his mouth to keep him from screaming.

His eyes go wide when he sees his daughter.

"Father." Eleanor says, raising her chin and swallowing her tears as she walked to stand right in front of him while her old ally held him in place.

Richard tries to speak, the silver tape muffling his voice, but she knows he's trying to ask what is going on. And his current state suddenly makes all sense to her.

"Are you scared? Is that why you're not sleeping? What's wrong, after you heard about how someone took me from Woodes' mansion, how he was found beaten within an inch of his life, you became afraid, didn't you? You knew this was probably my lover's handiwork, and you feared he would come after you for revenge too."

He glances at Flint's face, covered by the robber's mask, his eyes filled with horror. Eleanor scoffs. "No. That isn't him. Trust me, if my lover saw you, he'd kill you right away, after what you did to me... And that is why he has no idea I'm here."

She takes a moment to get her emotions under control, not wanting to cry in front of this man. "I came to say goodbye, father. I'm leaving this place for good. And you will not try to search for me. You will not let the city think I was kidnapped either. You will help me."

He gives her an incredulous look, challenging her. A smirk comes to her lips.

"Oh, you will cooperate. Because if you don't, I will ruin your life. I know all about the illegal animal trade."

His eyes widen at her words and she feels so victorious. "Yes. I found out when I was 13. I'm smarter than you give me credit for. I know that you and Peter are involved in this disgusting activity, and that you keep a log about it inside the safe at your office. The safe I happen to know the combination of."

As if on cue, John appears at the door. "Is this it?"

He hands the thick book to Eleanor and she nods. Richard tries surging forward, desperate to recover it, but Flint tightens his grip on his arms as she continues to speak.

"If you don't want the world to know that the fortune you and Peter have doesn't come only from the Company and working as a district attorney, you will hear me out."

He clenches his jaw, eyes filled with hate as he watches her.

"You won't let the world think I was kidnapped. You will come up with some story, I don't care what, but you will make sure no one will go looking for me."

She goes silent, hesitating for a moment before deciding to say what she wanted to. "I wish things could have been different. I just wanted you to love me. To be a father to me. To chase away my nightmares and take care of my bruises. To pick me up at school at least  _once_ , instead of sending the fucking nanny to do it. All I wanted was a father. Was that so much to ask for?"

Flint's heart clenches for her and she gets a grip on herself, putting on an emotionless mask again.

"I shall go to London every July and November to visit grandpa and grandma as I always did, so they won't be suspicious. Should you ever want to try fixing our relationship... meet me there in one of these occasions, but if you try contacting me at a different time or sending the authorities in search of me... I show the proof of your involvement with the illegal trade mafia to the world. Do we have a deal?"

The spiteful look he gives her lets her know she won.

A proud smirk comes to her lips while she holds her treasure in her hands. But then her heart sinks as she hears a motorcycle stopping outside the mansion grounds.

Raw fear is taking her over and Eleanor turns around, praying it wasn't him...

No such luck.

She looks at Charles, then at her father, then at him again.

He has a murderous glint in his eyes. One she knows far too well. And as she stands there helplessly, staring at his furious face, a whisper leaves her lips.

"No..."


	54. Life is a Road

**Chapter 54: Life is a Road**

**_Ashe Mansion_ **

**_13 years ago_ **

_Eleanor wakes up with a start, tears in her eyes, the nightmare still fresh in her mind._

_She glances at the sleeping toddler beside her, thankful not to have screamed this time like she always does when waking up from that awful nightmare about a man being hanged._

_It's raining outside, she notices, and after looking over at the grandfather clock near the door to the theater room, she sees it's just after one in the morning._

_Letting her eyes move to Abigail again, she frowns._

_Earlier, their fathers left them here watching an animated movie on the large TV, and Peter promised he would come back in a couple hours to give his daughter the bottle she always had every night before going to sleep. The two girls were suffering from a nasty flu, and they were supposed to take their medicine... an hour ago._

_Her own father had assured her that when Peter came back with Abigail's bottle, he would take her back to their mansion so she could have her medicine._

_But neither of them came back, and they ended up falling asleep on the couch._

_Did their fathers forget about them?_

_Loud thunder sounds from outside, and she scowls when the toddler beside her wakes up scared. Her big brown eyes meet Eleanor's blue green ones, instantly filling with tears._

_Abigail is normally an already clingy and dramatic child, but the discomfort from the flu, mixed with the fear caused by the thunder makes it even worse and she begins to cry, reaching out for Eleanor._

_The 10 year old sighs heavily, receiving her in her arms. She cries and cries until a coughing fit makes her stop, and Eleanor's heart clenches._

_Abigail needs her medicine. She also needs her bottle, she didn't have dinner yet. And then, she needs to go to bed._

_With some difficulty, Eleanor gets to her feet, struggling to hold the toddler in her arms as she made her way out of the room._

_Thank God Abigail has always been a really small child._

_After what feels like an eternity, they reach Peter's office, and she rolls her eyes at the drunken laughter coming from the other side of the door._ _Careful not to drop Abigail, she opens it, seeing not only two, but four men inside._ _Her father and Peter, of course, but also an unfamiliar one, probably about their age. And a younger one staring out the window._

_Something about him is oddly familiar, but Eleanor can not remember if she ever saw him before._

_All eyes except the younger man's come to them, their laughter dying down as silence reigns in the office._

_She clears her throat. "Dad, Abbie is scared. And coughing. She needs her bottle and medicine."_

_Peter slaps a hand to his forehead, sharing a look with their unfamiliar friend and laughing. "I forgot about her."_

_The other man lets out a brief laugh, shaking his head. "Don't worry. It happens."_

_Peter nods, a stupid drunk smile refusing to leave his lips and making Eleanor's jaw clench. "Rick, you're in no condition to drive. Let your child spend the night with Abbie in her room. So you can just leave in the morning when you're sober."_

_Richard sighs heavily, getting up from the couch on unsteady feet. "Who's going to care for the girls? Your nanny went home for the night, didn't she?"_

_Peter grimaces, and Eleanor's arms are aching as she sets Abigail on the floor, though the toddler still clings to her legs. She'll never understand the weird affection this girl has for her. She acts as if Eleanor is some kind of guardian angel for her, a savior, as if she's... grateful for something._

_The unfamiliar man speaks up. "I think it's safe to say that my son is the best person for this job right now. He didn't have too much to drink, unlike us."_

_The young man finally glances at the two girls, a bored look on his face though he forces a polite smile. "Of course."_

_His voice **and**  face are really familiar._

_While at the same time he awakens a sense of affection in Eleanor's heart, there's also a strange, unexplainable fear. Dread._

_Horror._

_"The medicine is right here." Peter says, handing it to him. "Just stop by the kitchen on the way, someone will give you Abbie's bottle."_

_He nods, hesitating before picking the toddler up. Abigail fusses for a moment, but exhaustion wins and she gives up, laying her head on his shoulder. As he turns around to leave with the two girls, Eleanor hears Peter call out._

_"Thank you, Woodes!"_

_A shiver goes down her spine._

_And she has no idea why._

_The only sounds as they make their way through the dark corridors are the rain and Abigail quietly sniffling from times to times. The young man tries to hold Eleanor's little hand, probably thinking she's like other children her age, needing this comfort to make her feel safe from the raging storm outside. But she doesn't let him, crossing her arms. This makes him chuckle in amusement, but he doesn't say a word._

_After retrieving the bottle, Eleanor guides them to Abigail's room and reluctantly asks for the man's help with reaching the toddler's pajamas inside the tall wardrobe. He gets them for her and she helps the small child with changing before settling in bed with her, giving her the bottle and trying her best to appear unfazed by the loud thunderstorm outside._

_She's unaware of Woodes' eyes watching her curiously._

_"You're not afraid of storms, little one?"_

_Eleanor shrugs. "It's just water."_

_"Well yes, but it's noisy, isn't it?"_

_She looks at him, seeing he has a playful frown on his face. And his tone is the one some grown-ups use when talking to a child, as if they are superior beings. It makes her angry._

_"Noise can't hurt you."_

_He chuckles. "You're pretty mature for your age."_

_"My teacher and Mr. Scott say the same thing."_

_"How old are you exactly, child?"_

_She glances down at Abigail, brushing her hair away from her face as the toddler nursed from the bottle. "I'm ten."_

_He nods, watching her perfect features, blonde hair and stunning blue green eyes. Too bad she's so young. And thankfully, pedophilia is **not** his thing. He has no idea how someone can be capable of such monstrosity..._

_But maybe once she grew up... Surely such a beautiful child will become a gorgeous woman one day._

_"I'll probably look for you in ten years or so then."_

_He only realizes he said the words out loud when Eleanor looks at him with an adorable, innocent and confused frown on her face. "What?"_

_He shakes his head, heading to the door. "Nothing, little one. Sorry, forget I said that, okay? Have a good night, girls."_

_Lucky for her, in the next few following years Eleanor wouldn't see that young man again, forgetting all about this strange event. It wouldn't be before her 23th year of life that she would be reunited with him._

_Still, right now she doesn't know what to feel._

_And for some reason, she falls asleep grasping at the birthmark on her stomach._

_Far away from the Ashe Mansion, a blue eyed teenage boy stares out the window at the raging storm, absentmindedly holding the anchor pendant of his necklace._

_His friend comes to stand beside him after making sure his 12 year old protegee was sleeping peacefully._

_They stare at each other, communicating without words, a smirk coming to Charles' face. They're almost old enough to be finally free from this place, once and for all._

_And hell, is he eager for that day to come._

_This city will never know peace again after he and Jack are out of this fucking orphanage._

**_Never._ **

* * *

**Present Days**

"Oh, this is gonna be good."

Under normal circumstances, she would have rolled her eyes at John's words. But Eleanor is simply too terrified to even think about reacting.

"Charles, please-"

"What the hell is going on?" His harsh voice cuts her like a knife. It hurts like hell. "You felt like sneaking away in the middle of the night and coming here to that piece of shit you call your father? What's the matter, Eleanor? Did you want to repeat the past?"

His voice is dripping with cruelty, and she knows it's only a matter of time before he snaps out of control. She also knows what's the better way to calm him down, making her way over to him and touching his arms, eyes locked with his.

"Please, you need to let me explain. I'm doing this for our own safety. See this?" She shows him the diary containing the proof about her father's shady activities, trying not to let his rage-filled eyes intimidate her. "It's the leverage we need, it will ensure that no one will come after us-"

"What the  _fuck_  are you talking about?"

"My father and Peter Ashe are involved with illegal animal trade. That's where most of their fortune comes from. He keeps a log about it, it's all here. And in my possession now. So unless he wants to go to prison, he will come up with a good excuse for my absence once the city starts to notice it."

He tears the diary away from her hands, a bit too harshly, and she doesn't fail to notice the insecurity flickering in his eyes as he opens it to check if she was telling him the truth.

It breaks her heart that he's still so insecure. They still have a long way to go.

And she doesn't blame him at all.

The relief that comes to his eyes as he reads the contents of the diary makes her feel better, a soft smile playing on her lips as he looks at her face again, most of the rage gone, a hint of pride in those blue depths she loves so much.

But the peace is short lived.

Charles shoves the diary back into her hands, making his way around her before she could react.

Before Flint can even blink, he tears her father away from his grasp, violently shoving him to the ground.

_No._

She watches the scene, frozen in horror, her heart almost stopping as the criminal pulls out his gun, the moonlight catching on it.

_Please, not again._

"You had a second chance and you failed your daughter,  _again._ She spent her whole life suffering because you refused to help her. It's all your fault. Her pain, her anguish, it's all your fault. You don't deserve to live."

As he moves to pull the trigger, her voice stops him.

"Charles!"

He briefly looks over his shoulder, seeing her looking at him, eyes filled with despair.

"Don't... Please..."

He looks back at her father as he lays there staring up at him, trembling, frozen in fear.

Seconds drag by as he makes his decision, father and daughter looking at him while Flint and John watched the scene in silence, side by side.

"Please..." Eleanor's voice breaks.

And he lowers the gun.

No one says a word while he stands there watching Richard, trying to calm down.

His voice finally echoes through the garden.

"You had your second chance and ruined it. But I won't ruin mine too."

Charles puts the gun away, turning around to face Eleanor as she exhales deeply in relief, a smile tugging at her lips.

"And neither will I."

He doesn't return her smile.

Instead, the criminal storms out the gate, merely offering her a stern look that silently tells her to follow him.

So he  _is_  angry with her, after all.

With a heavy sigh, she glances at Richard, holding back her tears, wondering if she'll ever be face to face with him again.

"Just tell people that I'm traveling the world. Goodbye, father."

* * *

He's sitting on the motorcycle, shoulders tense and leather jacket seeming to give him an even darker appearance. Eleanor gathers her courage, walking over to him while he smoked in silence, glancing at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

Hesitantly, she touches his shoulder. "Please don't be mad. I just wanted to make sure no one would follow us after we left this place."

Charles scoffs quietly, taking a long drag from the cigarette, eyes glue to the handles of the motorcycle. He looks so haunted. She knows exactly why, and it breaks her heart.

Faintly, she hears the gate closing, unaware of the other two men watching them from afar.

"Come on. I can drop you off at Scott's before returning to the hotel." Flint says, wanting to give the couple the privacy they surely needed right now, but John scowls at him.

"Just a minute, these two assholes are better than soap operas-"

"Do I  _need_  to call Madi?"

His hard, impatient tone leaves no room for argument and John knows he's exhausted, stressed. So he rolls his eyes.

"Why must you crush fun every single time it makes an appearance?" He sounds like a frustrated child as they make their way to the car and Flint represses a smirk, glancing over at the couple, slightly concerned.

Eleanor notices and nods at him, letting him know she'll be okay. After a moment's hesitation, he nods back, getting on the driver's seat and leaving with the con man.

Once they're alone, she moves to sit on the edge of the motorcycle seat behind him, laying her head on his shoulder with a heavy sigh.

He doesn't try to move away.

The cool breeze makes her shiver and she glances at her phone, seeing it was almost three in the morning already.

"No more lies." His grave voice cuts the silence and Eleanor closes her eyes for a moment. "Not even innocent ones. I know that you had no intentions of betraying me, that you did this so you could say goodbye to him and ensure our own safety, but... You could have told me. You  _should_  have told me."

"I was scared. Thinking you would want to kill him if you saw him again."

He finishes the cigarette, tossing it away before glancing at her over his shoulder. "And I did. I still do. But I could have told Jack to bring you here."

She sighs, brushing his long hair out of the way so she could press a kiss to his birthmark from behind.

The tactic works, his anger faltering.

"I think by now we have enough proof that disaster ensues when we lie to each other. And considering our past, I know that honesty is a lot to ask from you. But at least try. You and I already fight a lot as it is, the last thing we need are lies tearing us apart once again. Do you want that, Eleanor?"

She shakes her head immediately, moving so her right leg was now on the other side of the motorcycle and bringing her arms around his waist. "I  _am_  trying. But this is still so new to me. This... thing we're trying, we never did this before. I just need to get used to this. I  _want_  to get used to this. But I need some time."

"Three hundred years wasn't enough?"

She frowns at his words, but notices the hint of amusement in his tone. He hands her the extra helmet and only then she notices how tired she feels.

"You think we can catch some sleep before leaving when dawn comes?"

He shrugs, starting the motorcycle. "Let's hope."

* * *

Neither of them is able to get some real rest after getting back to the hideout.

Eleanor manages to doze off from times to times. Even though she's completely exhausted, the anxiety and excitement of knowing what is about to come keeps her from staying asleep for more than a few minutes.

And Charles is on the same boat as hers, it seems. So eventually, they just give up, laying in bed and staring at each other in silence until the first lights of dawn start to filter in through the crack in the small curtains of his room. The criminal sighs heavily, getting to his feet. After they both change into their clothes for the beginning of their trip again, he goes to wake Jack up, suddenly even more eager to leave. After so many setbacks, both in this life and in the previous, he's actually wondering if there could be some truth in what Eleanor said about the curse that follows them.

But he's not willing to find out. So the sooner they leave, the better. Charles isn't willing to stay here a minute longer than necessary and taking the risk of a disaster happening, to keep them from chasing their freedom and happiness for what would probably be the 1000th time in their complicated story.

They take the motorcycle while Jack drives the Ford Ranger right behind them, and Eleanor really isn't ready for what will come once they reach Max and Idelle's place.

It only gets worse when they arrive and she sees the people she will need to leave behind.

This hurts, even though she knows they will all be reunited soon.

Caroline's eyes are filled with tears as she hugs her, and once again she hates herself for not being able to reciprocate her love properly, to let her emotions show. She does hug her mother back, but is not able to let her walls down as she wishes she could.

It's easier with Mr. Scott. When he receives her in his arms, cradling the back of her head protectively, she actually lets the tears out.

"Promise me you will be careful."

Eleanor nods into his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, completely unaware of the look he's giving Charles.

A look full of warning that tells the criminal to protect his little girl with his own life.

As if he even had to ask.

She steps away from him, completely taken by surprise when Idelle walks over to give her a quick hug.

Apparently, the friendship they shared before the memories came back won.

"Have fun with that piece of paradise in a leather jacket... I'm so jealous of you, little bitch."

She nods, rolling her eyes at the dark haired beauty's wicked smirk.

"I will."

With a wink, she turns to Max, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks again as her other guardian angel besides Charles hugs her tightly, the soothing, accented voice making her sigh. "I am so proud of you. So proud."

Eleanor swallows hard, not wanting to cry and holding on tight to the other woman. "I'll miss you so fucking much."

She lets out a soft chuckle, clearly trying to hold back her tears as well. "It's not forever, mon ange. We will be reunited soon."

She nods, closing her eyes for a moment as Max caressed her hair before reluctantly stepping away from her and looking over at Madi as she stood by John's side, a few feet away from them. They stare at each other for a moment while Max walked away to share a goodbye kiss with Anne.

Finally, Madi sighs, leaving the con man's side to stand in front of her, eyes glinting with unshed tears too.

And concern.

"You're really willing to leave everything behind? You sure you won't regret this?"

She asks with a worried frown and Eleanor shakes her head.

"Sometimes I may feel sad, but... no. I will never regret this. There's nothing left for me here. This place is not my home. There's only pain and suffering here, and it's about time I leave all of it behind. I must follow my heart." She says, remembering Caroline's advice from all those months ago and smiling at the medium. "I will chase my happiness and my freedom. I'm ready to leave the pain and the past behind, to leave the safety of the dry land and venture into the unknown, for the first time ever..."

"I bet you're really scared." The woman who's like a sister to her teases with a smirk, and she laughs, suddenly wanting to say something symbolic.

And Eleanor knows exactly what words she wants to speak, keeping her tone hushed so only the two of them could hear.

"I am. Scared to death. But you know what? No matter what happens, everything will be just fine. I know there will be stormy seas ahead, both figuratively and literally, but... I will be okay. Because I will be away from this place, chasing my happiness with someone I love... who loves me back."

The words from three hundred years ago finally cause their tears to flow freely as Madi throws her arms around the blonde's neck, hugging her tightly.

Charles watches them from the motorcycle while Anne kicks Jack out of the driver's seat so she could occupy her usual spot behind the wheel, Max smiling at the scene with tears in her eyes. Scott brings a comforting hand to Caroline's shoulder as she cried softly, and Idelle gives the criminal a quick goodbye hug.

After a few moments, Eleanor pulls away and Madi looks over at Charles, regaining her composure.

"You keep my sister safe, you hear me?"

A half smirk comes to his face while his Pirate Queen makes her way back to the motorcycle, and he reaches for her hand.

"Always."

This seems to satisfy the dark skinned woman and she nods at him with a hesitant half smile.

"You're coming with us?" Eleanor asks, pleasantly surprised to see Flint make his way over to the Ford Ranger. "I was thinking you'd just take a plane and meet us in Rhode Island."

He raises an eyebrow, giving her one of those rare half smiles of his. "You people need someone to keep you from doing something stupid."

She playfully rolls her eyes at him before putting on her helmet and climbing into the motorcycle seat behind Charles.

"I've actually been doing this for years now, but oh well." Jack shrugs, smiling as Max gave him a goodbye hug too before steeping away from the truck. He gets on the passenger seat, and just as Flint opens one of the back doors, a voice reaches his ears.

"Hey."

He turns around with a frown while John made his way over to him.

After a moment of hesitance, the con man sighs, hugging him and catching him by surprise again. He scowls, a few seconds dragging by before he finally returns the hug.

"I don't know what happened to Thomas, and I will not ask. All I say is... Good luck. I really hope you'll be able to find happiness again someday." He nods at John's words as they step away from each other. "Be careful out there."

"I will."

With one last half smile, Flint gets on the backseat and closes the door while the con man makes his way back to Madi.

Max squeezes Anne's hand through the open window one last time and the redhead drops a kiss to her knuckles before letting go and starting the truck while Charles started the motorcycle.

As they ride off, Eleanor glances back at those people,  _her family_ , with a heavy heart, the Ford Ranger following close behind while they lead the way.

All sadness seems to evaporate in the air once they leave the city behind, her heart skipping a beat.

Suddenly taken by a huge wave of happiness, relief and  _freedom_ , Eleanor can't contain the blissful, pure laugh that leaves her lips, eyes now glinting with tears of joy.

Charles grabs one of her hands, giving it a soft squeeze and bringing it to rest over his heart before holding to the handle of the motorcycle again. She doesn't have to see his face to know he has a bright smile on his lips too, tightening her arms around his waist and chest.

_From now on, it will be you and me._

She's so surprised. She had no idea she was capable of feeling such ecstasy.

And again, Eleanor wonders why the hell didn't she chose this path three centuries ago.

But it doesn't matter. She's doing it now and as she stares at the road in front of them, her euphoria only grows.

Life is a road too. And just as she did three hundred years ago, she wants to keep going, with  _him._

But this time, this time she'll actually do it.

_Someone she loves, who loves her back._

Even though most of her future is uncertain right now, of one thing Eleanor is completely sure.

This will be a wonderful journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what? The end!
> 
> Nah, just kidding. After SAIL ends, there will be a time jump of a few months between it and the sequel, and I know many of you are excited to see their trip, so of course I'll write it :) I'd hate to leave you guys disappointed. So that's why I want to have them settled in Nassau before ending this fic.
> 
> I know the vehicle they were going to use for the journey was originally a Chevrolet Impala, but while I was coming back from my uncle's ranch tonight I saw a Ford Ranger on the road, and I just have no idea why I didn't think of this earlier. Seeing Vane's ship's name written on the back of the truck made me want to change the vehicle, and I think it's better this way. More symbolic. Sorry.
> 
> Yes, the title and ending of the chapter were incredibly cheesy. They were inspired by "At the Beginning" by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. It plays during the ending credits of my favorite childhood movie, and I was feeling nostalgic, okay? Don't judge me lol.
> 
> Next up: Their trip to Rhode Island. It will probably last one chapter and a half, until they get to the Walrus. There will also be a whole chapter just for their time on the cruise ship. I want to write it in details, because it will be important for the relationship between Eleanor and the trio :) And I didn't forget about poor Abigail, Eleanor will give her an explanation for her sudden departure in the next chapter. She will also make appearances in the sequel, I have stuff planned for her, 'cause I love that sweet girl.


	55. Follow Me

They've been on the road for 6 hours and Eleanor feels ready to fall asleep on the motorcycle. It seems exhaustion is catching up to her, but that's not a surprise. The last time she had some real sleep was... What, 30 hours ago? When she woke up Sunday morning at the cabin, thinking Charles left her?

Probably. She didn't sleep like he did after they packed their stuff.

And after she almost dozes off behind him for the third time in the last couple of hours he abruptly changes their route, stopping at a gas station, the vehicle behind them following the motorcycle.

"That's it. We'll grab something to eat at the convenience store and when we're ready to continue the journey, you'll move to the Ford Ranger and get some sleep." That grave voice says after he takes his helmet off. She does the same, scowling at him in defiance.

"Something wrong?" Flint asks with a frown as he approaches the motorcycle, the two members of Charles' crew getting out of the truck to stretch their legs while watching the scene from afar.

"She almost fell asleep in the middle of the fucking road, that's what's wrong!"

Eleanor scoffs, exhaustion making her even grumpier. "I didn't-"

" _Three times._  Don't think I didn't notice."

She clenches her jaw at him, both of them staring at each other in a challenging manner, neither willing to back down. Flint rolls his eyes, turning around to walk towards the convenience store.

"I give up."

"It only gets worse. You've been warned." Jack calls out, receiving an elbow to the ribs from Anne before she follows the other man, eager for some caffeine.

Glancing at the couple standing by the motorcycle, Jack grimaces before making his way over to them.

"So is it my fault that I'm tired now? I'm not allowed to be exhausted after 30 fucking hours without any decent rest?"

"You're acting like a stubborn child! Just move to the damn truck and get some sleep, why the hell are you making such a fuss about this?"

"Charles?" His accomplice speaks when he reaches them, but he merely glances at him.

"Fuck you, Jack! "

He's completely unfazed by the outburst. These three words are already more familiar to him by now than his own full name, and after all those years of dealing with the wild temper of his two partners in crime, it takes much more than this to intimidate him.

"For God's sake, Charles. It's been only six hours. Can't you two wait until you're in the privacy of your cabin on the Walrus to jump at each other's necks?"

Eleanor scoffs, about to give him a smart retort, but he's faster. "At least hear what I have to say, then you can kill each other if you want to, okay?"

Charles lights a cigarette, trying to keep his temper under control and the blonde gives him her famous eye roll, looking away from him to watch the road as Jack continues to speak.

"Look, you need to be rational. We must be careful with what people see. We're still close enough to LA for people to recognize Eleanor. You don't want to draw too much attention to yourselves right now. If you two want to lash out at each other's throats and then fuck until you pass out, by all means, feel free to do it. But at least wait until we're far enough from that place, so no one will recognize Miss Guthrie. Oh, and in private, preferably."

They both know Jack is right and Charles shrugs, blowing out smoke before speaking in a teasing tone. "If she can just move to the fucking truck, before she nods off again and falls from the damn motorcycle to be ran over-"

"Fuck you, Charles." She spits out his name as if it's poison, walking away from them until she's standing at the edge of the road.

Jack sighs heavily, clapping his leader's shoulder. "Good luck."

While his accomplice walks away to join Anne and Flint at the convenience store, Charles clenches his jaw, finishing the cigarette and tossing it away while watching Eleanor. He tries to be rational, knowing there must be a reason behind this sudden nasty behavior of hers, knowing it's probably the exhaustion speaking.

Some of the anger fades away, his features softening a bit.

It's not her fault.

She's just tired. Extremely tired.

But how can he convince her to get some rest?

_Fucking stubborn woman._

With a sigh, he approaches her, tensing when he sees her calling someone on her new phone.

But his fear is short lived and he stops a few feet behind her, listening to her words.

"Abbie? Look, I'm just calling to let you know that... I'm traveling the world. And I don't know when I'll go back to LA."

Charles watches her in silence, and she doesn't realize he's just a few feet away, continuing to speak after the teenage girl replies. "I know... And I'm sorry, okay? But you know I hate goodbyes. After everything that happened lately, with Woodes being in a coma, and the revelation that he was cheating on me with his ex-wife, I just needed to leave that place. I was also constantly fighting with my father, so... This is the best thing I can do for myself right now. But I'll go back to see you, I promise."

As she ends the conversation and hangs up, the criminal makes his way over to stand by her side, seeing her rub her eyes tiredly.

His heart clenches.

"Good cover up. Using the coma and the Sarah thing to our advantage."

She rolls her eyes, not even glancing at him. "Leave me alone."

"What's going on, Eleanor? You were so happy when we left the city behind. So what's wrong? Are you home-sick already?"

His tone is teasing and she scoffs. She's been home-sick her whole life without even realizing it until recently, but not for LA. "That fucking place is  _not_  my home and you know it."

"Then what's wrong? We can't make this work unless you talk to me.  _Without_  yelling."

She sighs heavily. "We're so hopeless, Charles. Not even a whole day yet, and we're already fighting. Shit, who are we trying to fool?"

He scowls, knowing it's just the exhaustion speaking. But the words still go straight to his battered heart.

"You're being too dramatic, and this isn't like you at all. This whole discussion only started because you refused to let me take care of you. I'm just trying to keep you safe here, Eleanor, but you're not making things easy for me. When are you going to accept that you need rest? After you fall asleep on the motorcycle and Anne runs you over with the truck? You know she wouldn't hesitate."

She shakes her head, a frustrated whine escaping her lips.

Charles finds it adorable and extremely infuriating at the same time.

Three hundred years later, and he's still not closer to figuring out how this woman manages to do this to him.

"I just..." She hesitates, finally meeting his eyes. "I don't  _want to_ , alright?"

He frowns, his own eyes searching those entrancing blue-green depths, trying to decipher her. " _'You don't want to'_? What do you mean?"

"For fuck's sake, I don't want to be away from you, you bastard."

He's completely taken by surprise, scowling in confusion as she closed the small distance between them, hiding her tired face on his leather clad shoulder.

Eventually, he brings his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, blissfully unaware of the three people watching the scene curiously from the convenience store.

"I'm not going anywhere, lady Honeypot. Nothing will happen to me if you stay in the truck for a few hours with Flint and my crew." He tries, rubbing reassuring circles on her back with the fingers of one hand while the other caressed her hair.

She doesn't say a word, shaking her head slightly.

His brain races to come up a solution, not wanting to fight with her again. Maybe if someone else rode the motorcycle, he could stay in the Ford Ranger with Eleanor. But Anne wouldn't want to leave her spot behind the wheel without a fight. And Jack can't ride without getting himself killed in the process, so that left...

"You think Flint knows how to ride a motorcycle?"

She follows his line of thought, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'll ask him. But really, I'll be fine for now. I just need some coffee."

He narrows his eyes at her. "As soon as you start feeling too sleepy again, we stop and you move to the truck. With or without me."

_I won't lose you._

She scowls for a moment but then sighs heavily. "Deal."

* * *

As it turned out, Flint does have experience with riding a motorcycle, and that knowledge made Eleanor's mood improve wonderfully. After they have some basic lunch and some coffee, the group leaves the gas station, resuming their journey.

For three hours, Eleanor is fine.

But around 4 p.m., when they are almost in Colorado, she knows she can't resist anymore and squeezes Charles' shoulder. He glances back at her for a moment before stopping on the side of the road, the Ford Ranger behind them doing the same.

Wordlessly, Flint walks over to them as they get off the motorcycle.

"If I see the faintest scratch..." Charles warns him but he just rolls his eyes, accepting the helmet. If she wasn't so exhausted, Eleanor would have found this amusing. But right now every single noise she hears only brings her closer to a rage fit.

When was the last time she felt so tired?

Once they are both in the backseat, Anne starts the truck and they resume their journey again.

Eleanor glances over at her pirate, leaning her head against the window, ready to fall asleep despite the extremely uncomfortable position. He watches her for a moment before gesturing to his lap and holding out his arm in silent invitation. She frowns, not sure if she wanted to do this while Jack and Anne were in the car with them. But the temptation is just too big and she sighs, laying down on the backseat and using his lap as a pillow.

It feels like paradise.

Rolling over so she had her back to his accomplices, she holds on to the leather of his jacket while he caresses her hair, her eyes falling closed.

She should have just accepted this sooner. It's heaven to finally be able to close her tired eyes and give in to sweet sleep, while feeling Charles' fingers massaging her scalp.

* * *

She's been asleep for almost four hours now, and if it wasn't for her slow, calm breathing, Charles would worry she was dead. Usually she moves from times to times in her sleep, sometimes even mumbling a few incoherent words.

But not this time. She hasn't moved a finger since falling asleep with her head on his lap, and as he watches her perfect, peaceful features, he can't fight the soft smile that comes to his lips for a second, his heart swelling with affection. It's during these moments, when she looks so fragile and innocent, that the urge to protect her gets even stronger.

And for the 1000th time, he comes dangerously close to thanking God or whatever higher power there is, that she's here with him, safe, instead of living a lie in the governor's arms.

_Trapped._

Like she was three centuries ago.

"We haven't really talked about what we're going to do once we're there." Jack's voice brings him out of his thoughts and Charles looks up from the sleeping angel on his lap, his features growing serious and hard again.

"We can stay at some hotel at first. We got enough money from the hunts to survive for a long time."

"And I imagine the two of you will not want to stop hunting once we're in Nassau."

A half smirk comes to Anne's face. "We'll be home. What better place to hunt than where it all began?"

The leader smirks too, agreeing completely and letting his mind wander while staring at the almost full moon in the sky.

He wants a boat. It will be heaven to live in it with Eleanor by his side, complaining about sea sickness and urging him to make port soon whenever they take the ship out into the ocean.

She will be a pain in the ass. But he will savor every single minute.

Will their money be enough?

Eleanor finally moves, a barely audible sound of complaint leaving her lips as she brings her legs closer to her chest, frowning softly.

Charles loses the hard expression again while watching this, reaching for the blanket on the floor of the truck, careful not to wake her up. Jack glances at the backseat for a moment as their savage beast of a leader tenderly covers Eleanor's body with the blanket.

He shares a silent look with Anne, both thinking the same thing.

How can such a fierce and rough man change to a caring person in a matter of  _seconds_  when it comes to that woman?

They will never be able to fully comprehend this. And as reluctant as they still are to accept Eleanor's presence, especially on Anne's case, they can't help but feel amazed by this.

At the backseat, Charles didn't notice their little moment, too entrapped by the sight of  _her_ as she sighs in satisfaction in her sleep, holding the blanket closer.

_So harmless. Pure. Vulnerable._

She could really fool someone. Doesn't look like the strong-willed, sometimes cruel woman he knows.

_And loves._

Letting his fingers caress her cheek, Charles shakes his head, wondering why the hell would a man want to mold this  _perfection_  into something else.

He wouldn't have her any other way.

She'll never have to change her ways for him. Never have to dress up like a doll, put uncomfortable pins on her hair and have a corset squeezing the life out of her. She'll never have to sit and knit quietly like a good girl.

Because after all, it was her wild, untamed and strong personality that drew him in all those years ago, right from the start at that beach.

_That little smile he'll never forget._

It looks like she already has him wrapped around her finger again.

As if that ever changed.

_What would his uncle think?_

It's not that he cares about Teach's opinion. His life is only his own, and he'll do whatever the fuck he wants with it. But he  _is_  worried about how his old mentor will react when he sees Eleanor by his side again.

Will he try to hurt her?

Charles squeezes her shoulder without realizing it, clenching his jaw.

If he does, he'll be in for a fight.  _No one_  will touch her. He'll make sure of it.

Silence stretches as Anne drives, the moonlit road almost empty. He notices Jack is now asleep on the passenger seat, and suddenly Charles thinks about just how much things have changed since his last months of life three centuries ago.

He's making a journey back home with someone he was sure he'd never hold in his arms again.

All of a sudden, he feels a huge wave of gratitude for the universe, or fate, or  _whatever._  Because he's looking at his two loyal accomplices and down at the only woman he could ever love as she sleeps on her side with her head on his lap, his fingers caressing her soft blonde curls.

How the hell did he get so lucky? What did he do to deserve this?

Three centuries ago, everything was so ruined, his life had been turned upside down, he was stripped of everything he held dear.

And now here he is. In a pickup truck, on his way home, with the people he cares about. All of them perfectly safe and well.

Only his sister is missing.

Well, Maybe Mary too.

_His uncle..._

_"Guess everything is not yet solved. Our problems have only just begun."_  He thinks, fingers still caressing Eleanor's hair absentmindedly while he stares out the window with a frown.

He still needs to solve the whole Teach situation, not to mention the danger that will always lurk, of the governor waking up from the coma and going after them, thirsty for revenge and his blood... and eager to get his hands on Eleanor again.

_He will never let that happen._

Just as Charles clenches his jaw at the mere thought of that man, he feels his blonde angel/demon stir.

Looking down at her face, he's graced with the sight of those gorgeous blue-green eyes opening slowly, her face so sleepy and adorable as she stared up at him lazily.

And in this moment, he feels like the luckiest person in the world.

The confusion in her sleep muddled brain makes her miscalculate how long they still have to travel.

"We're almost there?"

Fuck guns, blades or even the noose itself. The most powerful weapon against him will always be the sound of Eleanor's voice when she's just waking up.

Charles gives her a half smile, not even trying to hide the affection shining in his eyes.

It would be useless, anyway.

"It'll still be a while, gorgeous."

She sighs, seeming not to be fully back from the land of dreams yet. It also looks like there's something upsetting her and after stretching briefly, she surprises him by reaching up and tugging on the collar of the leather jacket, in a silent request that told him to lay down too. With a raised eyebrow, he obeys, making a mental note to tease her about this later, once she was fully awake again and back to her normal self.

For now though, he's perfectly content to just hold her flush against his body under the blanket, feeling her legs tangle with his as she hid her face on his chest, sighing softly in satisfaction and going back to sleep.

Anne glances at them over her shoulder with a frown and Charles looks up at her sternly. "Eyes on the road."

She scoffs at his words, but obeys.

He doesn't sleep. He doesn't want too.

Enjoying this moment is so much better.

So he lays there, fingers caressing her back, her soft breathing making his heart feel so light...

"You should have killed him when you had the chance." Anne says and he looks up from his Pirate Queen's peaceful features.

"Rogers?" He asks, amazed to feel Eleanor shift uncomfortably in his arms at the mention of that name, a soft scowl on her face.

The redhead nods, not taking her eyes off the road. "If he comes back from that coma... You know he will search every corner of this planet for you and the cunt, starting with Nassau. He won't stop until you, or him, or both, are dead. He will want  _her_  back."

He shakes his head, arms tightening protectively around his most precious treasure. "Let him come. This time, I'll finish the job."

"What if you lose?"

"I won't. I have a  _lot_  more to fight for now."

Anne snorts at his words, shaking her head slightly as he continues to speak.

"Besides. We can get reinforcements. As you and Jack know, after spending a while in Nassau we'll make a trip to Somalia, so I can see my sister and... him." He resists the urge to drop a kiss to Eleanor's forehead. The scent of her hair is like a drug to him. A mix of strawberry, honey and... sunflowers? How is that even possible? "He can help us. That bastard won't stand a chance."

Anne sighs, trying to hide a yawn. But he sees it.

"And how exactly do you plan on keeping Teach from killing her? Face it, Charles. She'd probably be safer in the governor's hands than near your uncle."

Charles clenches his jaw, knowing this is something he really needs to start thinking about. For now though, his answer is only one. "I'll let him know that if he wants to hurt her, he'll have to hurt me first."

His tone is final, absolute, and Anne stays silent for a few moments, thinking about his words.

"Can I ask you something?"

He frowns at her suddenly quiet, somewhat hesitant tone, nodding his assent when she glances at the backseat for a second.

"Just... Why? Why are you with her? She was your ruin, more than once... I thought you had finally learned the lesson she taught you, once and for all. How could you forgive her?"

He sighs heavily, shaking his head. "That's the thing. I didn't forgive her. I don't know if I ever will. Our past is still a great weight on both of us, but we're trying. As for your other question... I honestly don't know."

"I've seen you kill people for  _much_  less than what she did. How can you be holding her in your arms now, knowing everything she did to you, knowing that while you were in that cell she was with  _him,_  that while you were  _rotting away_  in that cage she was in the governor's bed-"

He lets out a low growl of warning, glancing at Eleanor's face when she stirs in his arms. Seeing she didn't wake up, he looks up at his accomplice's red hair again.

"How can you make frequent visits to Max's bed after everything Jack did for you, both in this life and the previous one?" He sees the way her fingers tighten on the wheel. "He patiently picked up the pieces after what Albinus did to you, he took care of you when you were nothing but a shell of yourself, two decades ago. He stayed by your side every single time you woke up screaming in the middle of the night, plagued by nightmares about what that monster did to you. He would always run to you and hold you until you fell asleep again, and that went on for  _years._  What was the first thing he did once he and I were old enough to leave the orphanage, Anne? He got you out of that hellhole too, refusing to leave you alone. Who took care of you when you got shot in the leg? Or every single time you had a fever? Who saved your life and took care of your wounds after you had that tough car accident?"

"Enough!" She seethes, glancing over at her partner to make sure he was still asleep. "It's not the same."

"I'm not condemning you, Anne. What I'm trying to make you understand is that some stuff... simply have no explanation. This... thing you have with Jack and Max, most people don't understand it. To be honest, I don't either. But if it works..." He shrugs, looking down at Eleanor again. "And this community you and Eleanor are part of... Many people don't understand it either. How a woman can love another woman, or how a man can love another man. But it happens. No matter if the rest of the world understands or not."

She stays silent for a few long moments, but then shakes her head with an indignant look. "She played you. Betrayed you.  _Slayed_  you. She watched you die as if you were nothing to her. What is there to understand here, other than that she's a traitorous cunt? How can you stay with her after all that?"

He considers her words for a while, sighing heavily. "As I said before... I honestly have no fucking idea."

_But I don't regret it for a second._

After finally giving in and dropping a kiss to Eleanor's forehead, Charles presses his cheek to the spot his lips had just touched, trying to understand this, to figure out what the hell is this  _spell_  she cast on him, right from the moment he saw her 13 year old self at the beach.

As always, he has no success.

After some time, he sees Anne stifle a yawn again, a scowl coming to his face as he looks up at the window, examining the sky.

Around 10 p.m.

So considering the times they stopped for gas and food, they traveled for 14 hours, more or less.

And Anne has been driving since 7 in the morning.

"The next motel you see, you stop." He says in his leader/captain voice, and Anne scoffs.

"Eager to take your 'lady Honeypot' to bed?"

He narrows his eyes at her, and while she wasn't necessarily wrong...

"Eager to get to Nassau, which won't happen if you fall asleep at the wheel and kill us all." Anne rolls her eyes at his words, while at the same time knowing he's right. "So no matter how bad it is, you stop at the next motel."

"Aye aye Captain." The redhead says in the most sarcastic tone she can muster.

And neither of them can repress the amused smirks on their faces.

* * *

"Wake up, beautiful. We stopped for the night." Eleanor scowls, opening her eyes with a confused look on her face after Charles shakes her shoulders lightly.

He sits up, bringing her with him in the process while Anne smacked her partner's shoulder.

"Jack. Wake up, idiot."

The poor man wakes up with a start, taking a look around as they get out of the truck. "Damn. How long did I sleep?"

As the couple talks, Eleanor looks out the window, looking even more confused before rubbing her forehead and sleepy eyes, trying to regain her composure.

"What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing, I just... When I fell asleep, everything looked different. The road, the landscape. This is just so different from LA... Where are we now, exactly?"

He brushes her hair behind her ear. "Almost to Denver. We're making good progress, but for now, we need to rest. Anne was almost falling asleep at the wheel."

She nods, getting out of the truck with him and smiling as Flint made his way over to them, handing the helmet and the motorcycle keys to Charles.

"Not a scratch." He says, all calm and collected, but Eleanor notices how tired he looks.

"Thank you for doing this." She tells him and his eyes soften a bit as he looks at her, nodding once.

Thankfully, there were enough rooms available for them, and the motel wasn't as bad as they had initially expected it to be.

Still, as they make their way inside their room, Charles can see Eleanor looking around in an almost awkward manner. This is surely not what she's used to.

"It's not much." He says, taking off his jacket and pulling his shirt over his head as she looks over at him. "But at least there's a bed. Better than sleeping on the backseat, right?"

She finally gives him a soft smile, nodding and setting the small bag she brought with her on the bed. Charles has one too, and they contain everything the couple would need during their time on the road. An easy way to have access to some of their more important stuff without needing to take the bigger, heavier bags out of the trunk.

She pulls out her nightgown, glancing over at him. "You want to shower first?"

His sinful half smirk sends shivers down her spine.

"Why don't we do it together?"

Her heart skips a beat, but the lingering pain between her thighs keeps her from accepting his suggestion. So she raises her chin, giving him a sarcastic look. "Because I've been near you since the morning, so I desperately need some time for myself."

He rolls his eyes, gesturing to the bathroom door. "All yours."

With a triumphant smirk, she walks over to it, completely aware of his eyes on her.

After showering and putting on her nightgown, Eleanor does quicly gets rid of the knots in her hair, not bothering with any sort of underwear as she made her way out of the bathroom.

She finds Charles sitting by the window, the curtains open as he stared outside, cigarette in hand.

"What is it?" She asks, walking over to him and appreciating the sight of his exposed upper body, illuminated by the moonlight, as well as his loose hair.

He sighs, offering her the cigarette and she accepts, sitting on his lap while taking a drag.

"I still think anytime the cops will show up here."

She shakes her head, blowing the smoke out into his face teasingly, her words sending a wave of déjà vu over him. "No one will find us, because no one is looking for us. I took care of that, remember?"

He frowns. "Are you sure you're not Flint's biological daughter?"

"What?"

He sighs, one hand squeezing her exposed thigh. "Blast from the past. He said almost the exact same thing shortly before I was captured."

Self hatred flickers in her eyes as she hands the cigarette to him again. "I see."

They stay silent for some time, sharing the cigarette, both staring out the window at the road nearby.

Finally, once they finish smoking, he watches as Eleanor gets off his lap, wordlessly heading to the bed and opening her bag to retrieve her birth control pills. Charles watches her as she swallows one of them before his eyes return to the road.

But when she lays down under the covers he has to appreciate the sight for a few seconds.

Reluctantly, the criminal leaves his post and heads to the bathroom for his own shower.

She's still awake when he walks back into the room, and Eleanor frowns in confusion when instead of joining her in bed, he goes back to his previous spot by the window. She lays on her side, eyes glued to him, drinking in every tiny detail as he watched the road closely, like the captain he was, gun in hand. Ready to fight if he had to, even though he was obviously exhausted.

Just like a pirate protecting his most precious treasure.

Her heart flutters.

He tenses every time a car passes, and a soft smile plays on her lips. "Come to bed. No one will find us here. No one will come. It's late, you're so tired... And I'm cold."

Eleanor knows she's aiming for his weakness.

But it works.

With a sigh, he closes the curtain and steps away from the window, setting his gun on the bedside table as she moved to the other side of the bed so he could lay down.

Her heart skips a beat when he takes off his jeans and underwear.

There may be a million things about him that infuriate her. But his habit of sleeping naked is something she'll  _never_  complain about.

Her eyes darken, the pain from that morning at Teach's cabin momentarily forgotten as she props herself up on an elbow, reaching for Charles, not even letting him lay down completely before crashing her lips to his. Even as exhausted as he is, the criminal is quick to respond, pushing her down on the mattress, body covering hers as one of his hands ran up her side under the nightgown.

She suddenly realizes this is the first time they kiss since last night, before she sneaked out to say goodbye to Richard. And God, did she miss it.

Neither her nor Charles has the slightest idea how they managed to go more than 24 hours without _this,_ this addiction that consumes both of them.

It always did.

But even more now. Now that they finally succumbed to it.

Charles gives her lower lip a soft bite before pulling away, watching her closely, a question clear in his eyes. Only slightly breathless, Eleanor moves to bury her face in his neck, letting her tongue trace his birthmark for a moment before nibbling on the sensitive skin, smiling when he exhales deeply, tightening his grip on her waist.

Her hands move over his back and she revels in the feeling of the firm, warm skin, so perfect... So  _alive._

When she licks his ear shell, he lets out a low growl, forcing her to meet his lips again and kissing her with that savage passion she only ever found in  _him,_ the one she always had such a hard time resisting.

The one she missed so terribly during her time with Woodes.

One of his hands move higher under the nightgown, her heart beating even faster when he begins to massage her left breast with just the right amount of pressure, her legs wrapping around his hips on their own accord.

She's fully aware there's nothing but the thin fabric of her nightgown between them, and this makes her sober up a little. She's playing with fire here, and the lingering pain between her thighs comes back, reminding her that her body isn't quite fully recovered from the morning at Teach's cabin yet.

But her pirate is kissing her as if his life depends on it, already slightly rocking his hips into hers, his breathing just as heavy as hers.

_Is it too late to stop him?_

The thought is absurd.

This is Charles, he'd never force himself on her.

Even though she's completely sure of it, a small part of her can't help but feel slightly nervous. Looks like the whole incident with Woodes made more damage than she initially thought.

But when they finally part for air and he kisses his way to her neck, she grasps at his hair, not really wanting him to stop just yet...

"You still sore?" He asks into her ear before capturing the lobe between his teeth. His voice is even rougher than usual, dripping with desire. It makes her shiver and she hesitates, not liking the idea of disappointing him while at the same time not willing to hurt herself any further only to appease him.

Even though it's been almost three days and she  _misses_  him.

"A little." Her answer comes out breathy, Eleanor almost doesn't recognize the small voice as her own.

He doesn't say anything for a few moments, nibbling on the skin of her neck, hands caressing her sides underneath the nightgown, sometimes squeezing her skin as he seems to be struggling with his self control.

Finally, Charles sighs heavily, pressing a kiss to her lips. "We'll wait then."

Her eyes shine with devotion for a brif moment as they stare at each other's faces, their breathing slowly returning to normal.

"I still think it would be better if you slept without this thing though." He says, tugging at the fabric of the nightgown with a scowl. Letting her hands move to the nape of his neck, Eleanor gives him one of those unguarded, stupid smiles that are worth more than gold to him.

"I'm simply being careful. You know this fucked up motel didn't offer any keys to the doors. What if someone comes in? Flint, your crew? You'll greet them naked?"

He nods, a half smirk coming to his lips as he stares down at her face, fingers caressing her right cheek. "I have nothing to be ashamed of."

She manages to look stern for a second before giving up and letting out a soft chuckle, touching the tip of her nose to his, fingers tangling in his hair.

"Can't really say I disagree with that one. You truly have  _nothing_  to be ashamed of."

"And neither do you." Charles tells her, frowning when he sees the pain that flickers in her eyes.

Slowly laying down on his side and pulling her to his chest, he caresses her back through the nightgown. "What?"

"Maybe I do, actually."

He forces her to meet his eyes, sincerely not having a clue what she was talking about. "Eleanor?"

She sighs. "Charles, do my thighs look awful now?"

It takes him a few seconds to understand why she's asking this.

The scars.

And Charles suddenly really feels like murdering someone.

"Who said that?"

He clenches his jaw and holds her closer, already knowing the answer.

"Him. When he tried to... you know."

He sighs heavily, burying his nose in her hair and breathing in the sweet, addictive scent, hoping it would help calm his temper.

Silence stretches as he controls his anger, finally pulling away to meet her eyes again. "What did I do when I saw them for the first time, all those months ago?"

The ghost of a smile comes to her lips and Eleanor shivers as she remembers that night. "You said 'fucking gorgeous' and kissed them. To be honest, that surprised me a lot at the time. We barely knew each other. I didn't understand. I expected a much different reaction. Because back then, you were just a criminal who found a jackpot, weren't you? Just a lucky delinquent who managed to catch the attention of the pretty, rich blonde. You just wanted me as a trophy, didn't you? To have some fun with me."

He nods. "You're right. It was supposed to be a one time thing. Just another conquest. Fucking the Guthrie Trading Company CEO's daughter right under his roof? A nice challenge. One I was eager to achieve. But things didn't go as planned, and once again, I couldn't stay away."

She fights the urge to smile at him, keeping her face serious as they stare at each other.

After a while he sighs again. "I don't ever want you to feel ashamed of your scars, Eleanor, do you understand? Ever."

She scowls, bringing her right hand to his chest, letting her fingers caress the spot over his heart. "They remind me of my weakness-"

He scoffs, shaking his head at her words. "They are a reminder of how you had to cope with your pain on your own. Deal with your demons all alone, without anyone's help. Handle your nightmares, night terrors, guilt, self hatred and fears by yourself, as well as the confusion brought by these feelings. Each one of these..." He traces one of the worst scars, from that nasty breakdown she had after the memories came back. "...represents the fact that you got through all that shit, on your own... How does  _that_  make you weak, lady Honeypot?"

She swallows hard, fighting against the tears that have gathered in her eyes. After making sure they wouldn't roll down her cheeks, she looks up at his face, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Why didn't you find me sooner?"

Charles presses a kiss to her forehead, holding her closer. "Don't know. Wish I did. But I'm here now.  _We_  are here now."

She nods, burying her face in his neck and letting her eyes fall closed.

"Thank you." Her whispered words reach his ears, the darkness of the motel room surrounding them soothingly. Neither is sure if they could have shared such a moment without the safety of the dark. "Thank you so much, Charles. For everything."

His heart feels so light. He kisses the side of her head, taking a moment to reach behind his back to the bedside table, making sure the gun was right within his reach in case there was an emergency before bringing his arm around her again.

Still unable to believe their luck and how much fate is gracing them, Charles and Eleanor finally give in to unconsciousness, falling asleep in the safety of each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems I am a fluff addict. Anyone know where I can go to get treatment?
> 
> But for those who like to see them fighting, there will be more of that in the next chapter ;) Things can't be peaceful between these two for too long, right?
> 
> Not much plot progress in this chapter and the next, mostly talking, thoughts and little moments between the five roadtrippers. I want to cover their journey as best as I can, and I am also using the opportunity to set the ground for the advances in the relationship between Eleanor, Jack and Anne, since we'll see them slowly start to get along better on the sequel.
> 
> Oh, and I never had a roadtrip across the US, I am relying on Google. So bear with me.


	56. The Walrus

It's just before 7 in the morning when Flint makes his way to Charles and Eleanor's room, knowing the fucked up motel didn't offer keys to the doors. This allows him to just walk inside. Charles is awake, and he stops on his tracks when the criminal quickly grabs his gun from the bedside table and points it to him, his other arm tightening protectively around Eleanor's waist as she slept tucked against his side.

Flint just raises an eyebrow at the other man, a bored look on his face while Charles rolls his eyes briefly, setting the gun back on the piece of furniture.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" He asks in a sarcastic tone, locking his hands together to hold the blonde more properly as she stirs slightly in his arms.

"Dawn has arrived. The sooner we leave, the better." Flint explains, moving to sit on the armchair by the window, thankful that Eleanor is wearing a nightgown. Her lover's chest is naked though, and he really does  _not_  want to know what's under the thick blanket covering the couple up to their waists.

"Is my crew awake?"

He nods. "You could say that. Jack seems to be alive and functioning only thanks to coffee right now, but Anne got a map and is already planning the rest of the journey. They said you two might need a little push with getting out of this room, because according to Jack, you and Eleanor have recently developed a certain tendency to forget about the rest of the world when you're in bed together."

The ghost of a smirk comes to his lips for a moment but he fights it away, glancing down at the sleeping angel in his arms. He really doesn't want to interrupt her peace. A thought comes to his mind and he slowly meets Flint's eyes, hesitating for a few moments before sighing heavily.

"Thank you. Eleanor told me about what you did for her when she was dying."

The older man nods, looking at the person who had been his anchor in that hospital 23 years ago, shortly after the tragedy that tore his heart to pieces all over again.

"She's so... open with you now. Unguarded. I never saw her like this before. It's unbelievable. But refreshing."

This time, Charles can't fight his loving half smile, eyes filling with affection while he looks down at Eleanor again, caressing her right cheek. "You haven't seen anything yet."

"How did you find each other?" Flint has a genuinely curious look on his face and the younger man meets his eyes again.

"Jack challenged me to break into Richard's mansion one night. We saw each other. After that, I was simply unable to stay away from her."

Silence reigns for a few moments as they watch Eleanor, the sight of her looking so peaceful and innocent still so unbelievable.

"She had nightmares her whole life. About the hanging."

Charles sighs at his words, brushing some blonde hair out of his love's face.

"I know that. And I dreamed about her too. Before meeting her. I was always seeing her face in my dreams." The criminal can see he managed to catch Flint off guard with this revelation, a pleased half smirk coming to his lips. "I didn't understand. The dreams made me really confused. As well as the feelings they brought. Affection, a sense of urgency, as if I had to find that woman... and anger. Hate. Resentment. It was a fucking mess."

"Did you forgive her?"

Charles clenches his jaw, staring up at the ceiling. "No."

They hear Anne's raised voice from outside and Flint opens the curtains a little to see what was going on, relieved to see it was just another argument between her and Jack. He meets Charles' questioning eyes and shakes his head, letting him know it was nothing to be concerned about. A frown comes to his face as he watches the pirate's arms safely around Eleanor, and he's unable to stop the question that tumbles from his lips.

"Do you regret killing Richard?"

The younger man stiffens for a moment, averting his eyes and tightening his arms around the blonde. She stirs again, a soft scowl coming to her face.

"It was the decisive move that caused our ruin. Of course I regret it."

Flint nods, feeling strangely pleased with his answer, just as those blue green eyes open slowly.

"Who are you talking to?"

The hard expression on his face vanishes as Charles looks down at her. She meets his eyes just for a second before acknowledging the other man's presence.

"What are you doing here?"

He scoffs, a half smile on his lips. "Someone needed to come drag you two out of bed. Or else the Walrus would already be halfway to Nassau by the time we got to Rhode Island."

She playfully rolls her eyes at his words as he gets up from the armchair. "We have wasted too much time already. Meet us outside within the next 15 minutes, or Anne will be the one to come here. And I have a feeling she won't be nearly as gentle as I was."

* * *

"You went inside their room unannounced? Are you insane?" Jack asks, looking up from the map spread out on the hood of the truck as Flint joins him and Anne again.

"What?"

"Fair warning: Don't ever do this again, you could be traumatized for the rest of your life. These two, you can never know what they're up to, if you know what I mean." He says with a raised eyebrow and Anne scoffs before taking a drag from her cigarette.

"Okay, so we're here..." Jack says, touching a point on the map with his index finger as Charles and Eleanor approach the Ford Ranger. "...between Grand Junction and Denver. We'll probably be able to reach Lincoln by tonight. Unless you want to keep going a little further before we stop to sleep?"

The leader brings his hands to the hood of the truck, eyes raking over the map and the route his accomplice marked minutes ago. Anne is sitting on the hood right beside the map, and Eleanor does her best to resist the urge of rolling her eyes as the redhead glares daggers at her.

Charles glances at her as she stands by Flint's side, gesturing with his head, silently telling her to come to him and she obeys, her eyes questioning him.

"What do you think?" The criminal asks, a smile tugging at her lips as she leans in to take a closer look at the map, blissfully unaware of the indignant look Jack and Anne share between them.

She was just going to say Lincoln was okay, but then a certain name on the paper catches her eyes and she takes the pen from her pirate's hands, elongating their route a little.

"Cedar Rapids?" He asks with a raised eyebrow, wondering why the hell she wanted to go there.

"We can stop there to sleep tonight. There are places to eat too, so we won't have to survive only on convenience store junk for the rest of the trip."

A half smirk comes to his lips, and he ignores his two accomplices, both clearly uncomfortable with Eleanor making decisions.

Looking his Pirate Queen in the eyes, he hands her the extra helmet. "Cedar Rapids it is."

* * *

After spending more than 8 hours on the motorcycle, Eleanor is getting restless. They only stopped briefly to eat a few kilometers after Denver, but other than that, there was no time to rest.

That's why she feels extremely thankful when they stop at a gas station 2 hours after leaving Lincoln behind. She's really starting to regret her decision. If it wasn't for that, she could be already settled in bed, safely under the blankets with Charles at some motel, resting.

"You okay?" The criminal asks when she takes off her helmet with a heavy sigh.

"Never thought I'd feel sick of riding this thing with you."

He smirks, lighting a cigarette. "I can never get enough. Wanna move to the truck?"

"How much longer until we reach Cedar Rapids?"

Charles blows out smoke, actually starting to feel tired too. He didn't get much sleep last night, waking up all the time to make sure they were safe. "Maybe an hour and a half."

Eleanor shakes her head, glancing at Anne as the redhead made her way past them to smoke nearby. "I'll just stick to the motorcycle then. We're almost there."

Charles gives her an almost imperceptible smile, handing the cigarette to her.

"Breathe for a while. Just relax, okay?" He says, letting his thumb caress her chin for a moment before walking away to help Jack with refueling the truck.

Eleanor sighs, taking a drag from the cigarette and looking over her shoulder at Anne as she swore loudly, throwing her lighter to the ground. Getting off the motorcycle, she makes her way over to the redhead.

"Light it on mine."

The hostile look Anne gives her actually makes Eleanor stop on her tracks as the other woman watches her, considering her options. Apparently the urge to smoke wins and the little brute sighs heavily, bringing her own cigarette to her lips and touching the tip of it to Eleanor's, working on lighting it as quickly as she possibly could.

She doesn't show any signs of thanking her. The two women smoke in silence for a while, watching the road, the stars shining brightly above them.

"Did he touch you?" Anne suddenly asks, not looking at her, and Eleanor frowns in confusion.

The redhead rolls her eyes before speaking again. "Rogers. Did he get to touch you, before I arrived and tore him away from you?"

She nods, wondering if Charles somehow slipped any weed in the cigarette, if this was some sort of trip. "Yeah. But just a little. And I barely felt it. I was almost unconscious. You arrived just a few seconds after he lifted my skirt."

Anne sighs, tossing her cigarette on the road. "He won't be raping anyone for now. Except maybe in his dreams."

Eleanor smiles briefly, looking at the other woman. "I understand now. Why you did what you did."

Her words cause Anne to clench her jaw and the little brute glances at Charles over her shoulder before finally meeting her eyes.

"So he told you about Julia  _and_  Albinus, didn't he?"

She just shrugs, finally tossing her own finished cigarette away too as Anne continues to speak.

"I don't expect you to feel the same way, considering how much of a selfish cunt you are, but women should have each other's backs when it comes to  _this_ , no matter what. Whether we lived it or not, we should never let another woman go through this nightmare."

Eleanor nods, agreeing completely and choosing her next words carefully. "I do feel the same way. Back then... I heard about what you went through, with those monsters, and even though you and I never really got along... I actually  _did_  feel sorry for you."

Anne scoffs, clearly not believing her. But at least she makes no move to pull out the knife hidden beneath her leather jacket and put it to Eleanor's throat.

That's probably progress.

_Probably._

"Maybe we could someday at least  _try_  to get along better? I feel it would make things a lot easier, for all four of us. Since we'll be living together from now on. I'm not suggesting we become friends, of course, but maybe you could at least try being civil? Like Jack. I know he can't stand me either, but he-"

"Cut the crap."

The blonde frowns, raising her chin. "Excuse me?"

Anne gives her a sarcastic, dry smirk, shaking her head. "This won't last for too long. I know that, Jack knows that, you surely know that, and even though he doesn't accept it, deep down Charles knows too, that this is the truth. You'll end up fucking everything, just like you always do. Sooner or later, something really bad will happen, you'll make the wrong decisions all over again. Jack and I feel that once we get home, it will bring everything back. Make your cruel nature resufarce. Being in Nassau again will bring back the hate, the resentment, and you'll go back to your old ways. I just hope that this time, the price Charles will have to pay won't be so high. I hope that at least he will get to keep his life."

Eleanor clenches her jaw, the words going straight to her heart. She's still having a hard time dealing with the guilt, and every single time someone brings up her past mistakes, her heart breaks as she remembers what she did to the man she  _loves_.

"I won't make a move against him. Never. I don't ever want to hurt him again."

This time, Anne lets out a humorless laugh, staring at her as if she just told the funniest joke in the world.

"I don't believe you. And when you start to get any ideas, know this: If something happens to Charles again, Jack and I will go to Teach. And there will not be a  _corner_ in this planet where you'll be able to hide from us. You'll  _never_  be safe, not even if the governor comes back from that coma and you run to his arms for protection."

A shiver goes down Eleanor's spine at the mere thought of going back to  _him_.

"I'd rather die."

"Good. Because that's exactly what will happen. So think twice before you hurt our Captain. Or we'll hand you over to Blackbeard so he can do whatever he wants with you. And trust me: Your death won't be a painless one."

Anne walks away from her, back to the Ford Ranger. Eleanor ignores the stares from Flint and Charles as she glances up at the starry skies with a heavy sigh, a single thought on her mind.

_"No one can say I'm not trying."_

* * *

"So what's with this city?" Charles asks her as they take a walk near their inn, their roadtrip companions probably already asleep in the safety of their rooms. She shrugs, looking all around.

"I just wanted to make more progress before we stopped to rest. I'm afraid of losing the Walrus."

He sighs, seeing right through her, as usual. "Eleanor. Honesty. I know you. There's something on your mind."

She stays silent for a long while, not really wanting to tell him about this... While at the same time wanting to be honest. And the wine they had during dinner half an hour ago makes her tongue loose.

"Have you ever watched Titanic?"

He frowns. "I tried. Jack challenged Anne and I. To see who slept first."

Eleanor rolls her eyes.

_Should've known._

"Who did?"

A smirk comes to his face. He knows what he'll say next will probably bring that adorable, indignant scowl to her face. "Anne. Almost at the kissing scene. But then we ended up skipping to the sinking. That one was interesting."

Sure enough, her features harden and she scoffs, putting some distance between them and shaking her head.

"You're so fucking disgusting."

He smirks in triumph, not failing to notice she's trying to distract him from what he wanted to know.

_Not so fast._

"What does that stupid movie has to do with anything?"

She stops them on their walk, crossing her arms and hesitating for a few moments. "I'm a movie lover in this life. I like good movies, especially old ones. Like Titanic. I always liked it. Which means I watched it many times. I guess... As cliché as it sounds, deep down, I wanted to be like Rose. To break free. And I only realized this recently. I didn't see just how trapped I was in my own life. But now my eyes are wide open."

Charles frowns, walking closer and bringing his hands to her crossed arms. "And?"

"I don't expect you  _savage_  to know about this, but in the story, Cedar Rapids was where Rose went. After she got married. Not to her monster of a fiancée, but to a man she chose herself. And before that, right after the tragedy, she spent some time in LA as an actress."

The criminal actually raises his eyebrows at the coincidence, though he's not really sure why she wanted to come here yet.

But her next words answer his doubts. And he can't believe his own ears.

"This city... Is where one of the heroines from my pre teen years went after breaking free..." She falls silent, rolling her eyes at the incredulous look on his face. "I just felt like doing something symbolic, alright?"

"This is not like you, and it's not the first time. What you said to Scott's daughter before we left..."

Her heart sinks, panic flickering in her eyes as she takes a couple steps away from him. "You heard that?"

Charles shrugs, fighting the urge to close the distance between them again. But he knows she needs this space right now, too uncomfortable that she was caught like this.

"I do have a pretty good ear. Always did. It's a damn miracle that you managed to sneak out of bed right under my nose... Twice."

His attempt at lightening the mood works and she smirks, seeming to relax a little. He tries getting closer and she doesn't resist him, letting him pull her into his arms.

"So... someone you  _love_?"

With a sigh, Eleanor breaks eye contact, touching her forehead to his shoulder, avoiding the subject. "It's something I said to her, shortly before I died."

He holds her closer, knowing this is as far as they are going to get for now.

And Charles doesn't mind at all.

Because now, they have all the time in the world.

* * *

"Is it just me, or do you two also feel restless, being so far from the sea?" Charles asks, staring out the window of the truck.

It's their third day of traveling, they drove past Chicago about two hours ago and the leader is really antsy, being so deep inland, not able to see the open sea anywhere. He's not used to this.

Anne nods, looking out her own window for a moment before focusing on driving again.

"I know what you mean. Feel fucking trapped, seeing nothing but dry land all around."

Jack rolls his eyes, almost at the same time as Eleanor.

"Stop being so dramatic. Probably by tomorrow, we'll get to New York. After that, the trip will be along the coast so you two can see the ocean again."

Eleanor sighs, leaning her head against the glass of the window. She's so sick of the road. Sick of spending so much time near Charles' crew... A crew that is also  _hers_  now, right?

This still feels so weird.

But at least she's relieved to think they are more than halfway there now, and even though it makes her nervous to be in the truck while Anne is driving, she needed a break from the motorcycle. That's why she asked her pirate to let Flint ride it so they could just stay in the Ford Ranger for today.

And it seems like a good time to bring up something that's been pestering her since they left LA behind.

"What are we going to do once we're home?"

Jack glances over his shoulder at the backseat for a moment. "Probably stay at some hotel at first."

"We'll get a boat soon." Charles says and she frowns, looking over at him.

"We will live on a  _boat_?"

He shrugs, offering her one of those infuriating half smirks. "There's no better way to live. Trust me."

Eleanor sighs, staring out the window again as Anne shakes her head, the look on her face letting her partner on the passenger seat know there's something bothering her.

And before he can ask, she speaks. "That ship of Flint's... It will be filled with rich, snob bastards, right?"

Jack grimaces at her tone, rubbing his forehead. "You're the one who didn't want to take a plane. We could be in Nassau already by now. But yes, now you will have to put up with all those snob bastards...  _Without_  murdering any of them, I might add. Which reminds me... The three of us should get some new clothes so we can blend in better on the Walrus."

As he expected, his words are met with protests from both Anne and Charles.

"I am NOT wearing a dress again!" The redhead says vehemently, and Eleanor bites her lip to keep herself from laughing at her and the trio's leader.

"You don't need to wear a dress, darling. I'm just saying we need better clothes, like Miss Guthrie's, clothes that won't make those people look at us for too long, judging us. It could be dangerous to draw such attention. And we need to avoid it. You two know I'm right."

Charles meets his Pirate Queen's eyes on the backseat and she shrugs. "He  _is_ right. There are good places to shop in New York. I know a few. It won't be anything too extreme. I promise."

He sighs in defeat, nodding at Anne. "We stop in New York tomorrow."

That night they stop in a motel near White Haven, after a total of 38 hours on the road, not counting the time they spent resting. Charles feels ready to sleep for days. And yet, as Eleanor nods off in his arms, breathing softly, he's once more unable to relax, spending another restless night waking up every few minutes to make sure they were safe.

* * *

She forgot just how hellish traffic could be in this fucking city.

It's been a really stressful day, both her and Jack fought tooth and nail to convince their two savage beasts to actually try on the clothes before buying them, and Anne almost murdered the poor saleswoman more than once. Flint just watched from afar, seeming to be really entertained by the scene and refusing to help them.

As stressful as it all was, the highlight of her day was  _definitely_  seeing Charles in a blazer. It was the only piece he allowed her to see. She still can't stop wondering what he looked like in the suit she insisted to buy for him.

Right now, however, she's worried.

He's too tense. Too stressed. She suspects her pirate hasn't had any decent sleep since they left LA, stubbornly wanting to stay vigilant, always on alert, even when they were supposed to be resting.

To protect her.

No matter how many times she said no one was coming after them, it seems his fear of losing her always spoke louder. It makes her hear flutter while at the same time she's fucking angry with him for it.

Tonight, he will get some sleep whether he likes it or not.

Between the exhaustion, spending days so far inland and the hellish New York traffic, his mood is now horribly grim.

The congestion only gets better once they reach Port Chester, around 5 p.m., and Charles and Anne don't need to share even a glance to conduct both the truck and the motorcycle to a spot near the sea.

The two of them are bubbling with stress, but seeing the ocean again after spending the last days surrounded by dry land for miles immediately makes them feel a little better as they close their eyes, breathing in the soothing, familiar scent, the waves sounding like relaxing music to their ears. Eleanor and Jack know better than to interrupt their peace, staying behind, leaning against the truck as their two partners smoked near the water.

Flint has been silent since the morning and Eleanor can tell he's sick of the road too, just like them, and probably really eager to be back on his ship already.

She doesn't blame him. And after an hour passes, after Charles and Anne have calmed down enough, they find a hotel, all five of them grateful to know that this part of the trip is finally coming to an end.

* * *

"You really need some sleep." Eleanor tries not to sound too concerned, watching the criminal as he sat shirtless in bed, checking his gun. He immediately shakes his head, the dark bags under his eyes making her sigh heavily.

"We're almost there. I don't want to take the risk of anyone ruining everything now, not when we're so damn close."

She clenches her jaw, her own patience running thin faster than usual. This long roadtrip is definitely taking a toll on their nerves.

"Will you stop being such a stubborn idiot? How many times do I have to tell you no one's coming after us? You  _know_  I took care of that."

"We may be safe from your father. But what if your dear little ex-husband comes back from the coma?"

" _Stop_  calling him that! I do not need a constant reminder about everything that happened between me and that bastard three centuries ago. And I asked Max to call us if she heard about any changes on his current condition."

The pirate sighs heavily, gripping the gun tighter. "It's not my fault you married him. And forgive me if I'm trying to keep you safe. Why do you always have to find a way to antagonize me? Is it a fetish?"

She scoffs incredulously at his words, storming over to the bathroom. "You know what? Fuck you, Charles. I was just trying to help."

Eleanor stays in the shower for more than half an hour, breathing slowly to try and get her temper under control. She really hopes these hard times are due only to the stress of the road trip across the country, and that things will be easier once they're finally home. The last thing she wants is a relationship filled with fights. And she knows that considering who they are, it's impossible for them not to butt heads once in a while, but they have already screamed at each other so many times during their trip... This is too much, even for them. The few moments of peace they got since leaving LA are not enough to drown out the fights.

Will it be like this forever? Is this what it will be like, now that she finally gave in to her desire to stay with this man?

Are they doomed not to work, after all?

Exhaling deeply, she steps out of the shower and dries herself, putting on her nightgown before reaching for her phone on the countertop and calling the only person she wants to talk to right now.

That accented voice instantly makes her feel better.

_"Is everything alright?"_

Eleanor sighs, rubbing her forehead and hopping up on the counter. "I'm not so sure. Why did you have to stay behind, Max? I really needed you here right now."

Her friend doesn't even have to ask what's wrong.  _"Really? Trouble in paradise, already?"_

"He's just so fucking insufferable! And stubborn like a child!"

_"Hmhm. Sounds like someone I know."_  She says teasingly and Eleanor rolls her eyes, tracing her scars with her fingers.

"I mean it. He's getting on my nerves. We had so many fights already, and I'm starting to get worried."

_"About?"_

"About the future... Will it be like this forever? Constant quarrels, and only few moments of peace in between... I don't know if this is the life I want for me."

Eleanor can see it clearly, the stern look on Max's face when she speaks again, as if she was right here in front of her.  _"Oh, no. Stop right there. I already knew it would be a tough journey. It's actually going better than I expected, since no one died yet. But this is normal, Eleanor. You're all so stressed, so tired. You and him already have a strong tendency to argue and bicker, of course it would get even worse when you're forced to take such an exhausting trip together. But soon you two will be home, and all will be well. Don't worry."_

She sighs, rubbing her tired eyes. "I'm just so sick of the road."

Her voice sounds so hopeless and she can hear the sympathy in Max's tone as she speaks, wanting to offer Eleanor some solace from the other side of the line.

_"Where are you right now?"_

"Port Chester."

_"Well, then you're almost there. Stay strong. This tiresome trip ends tomorrow. You got this far. The rest of it will be a piece of cake."_

"God, I hope so."

Max hesitates for a moment.  _"Is Anne okay? She hasn't called."_

"She's focused on driving and resting. But she's fine. Just really stressed, even more than Charles. We bought clothes for them in New York this afternoon, so they will be able to blend in better on the Walrus. She was less than thrilled about that, to say the least."

A soft laugh comes from the other side of the line.

_"Try to take a picture and send it to me?"_

Eleanor rolls her eyes, though a stubborn smile tugs at her lips.

"You want her to murder me?" Max laughs again and the blonde suddenly grows serious. "Any changes with Woodes?"

_"Still in coma. From what I've heard, Sarah doesn't leave his side. I almost feel sorry for her. And the child."_

Eleanor clenches her jaw, shaking her head. "I do feel sorry for the child, yes... But not for Sarah. She's the one who's choosing this path. And I never liked that stupid woman. Not even in the previous life, of course."

_"I don't really blame you. And there's something else bothering you. What is it?"_

She frowns in disbelief. "How the  _hell_  do you and Charles manage to do this?"

Her only response is a cocky chuckle, and she sighs heavily. "Anne said something to me two days ago. She and Jack think it's only a matter of time before I fuck things up again. They're convinced that once we reach Nassau, I will go back to my old ways. And this is bothering me far more than it should."

_"Then how about you do something to prove them wrong after you guys get home? You're smart. I'm sure you'll come up with something good."_

Eleanor stays silent for a while, brain racing, until she suddenly realizes something.

There's a certain time approaching... The anniversary of something she did that wronged not only Charles, but his crew as well... Maybe this is the perfect opportunity.

A smile plays on her lips. "I think I know just the right thing to do."

_"And considering the date that's coming in a short while, I don't even have to ask what is it."_  Max says, and she can hear the bright smile in her voice.

"I just hope it works. I'll love to prove these two wrong and rub this in their faces." She yawns, and it seems her friend notices.

_"You sound exhausted, mon ange. Go get some rest now. I promise things will be better between you and Vane once you guys reach the ship. You will see. Always listen to Max."_

Eleanor can't contain her smile, ending the call before jumping down from the counter and facing the closed door.

She braces herself, smile vanishing as she walks out of bathroom with a stern look, ready to fight.

But then her face softens when she sees that Charles fell asleep on the bed, leaning against the headboard, gun still in hand.

With a shake of her head, she carefully takes the weapon from him, setting it on the bedside table within his reach before walking around the bed and climbing on it beside her pirate. Slowly, Eleanor manages to make him lay down, holding his head to her chest and caressing his hair. He wakes up briefly, eyes barely open as he brings a hand to her waist.

"Worse than your sister." She admonishes quietly, still holding his head in an attempt to keep him from getting up.

An incoherent grumble is all she gets before he slips back into unconsciousness in her arms.

And she falls asleep with a smile on her face shortly after.

* * *

As soon as they catch sight of the "Welcome to Rhode Island" sign, the couple feels as if they just reached paradise. Immediately feeling lighter, Eleanor tightens her arms around the criminal's waist and he responds by squeezing one of her hands briefly. This is the most affection they have shared since last night.

They haven't even talked today, but it seems everything is more or less okay again, now that they're finally here. He stops the motorcycle, taking his helmet off as the Ford Ranger comes to a stop by their side too.

"So where is she right now?" Charles asks when Flint rolls down the back window.

"Newport, of course. South Alofsin Pier. It's not even an hour's drive. If we take the lead, I can give Anne the instructions on how to get there faster, and you follow us with the motorcycle."

"Please." Eleanor agrees, not giving him time to answer first. "The less time we take to get to the ship, the better."

He offers her a half smile before starting to instruct the redhead as the couple puts on their helmets again.

The short trip to Newport strangely seems to last an eternity, but once Eleanor finally gets off the motorcycle, she feels like screaming in joy, rushing to her newest father figure as he gets out of the car.

In a scene that much resembles one from the past, she smiles brightly, throwing her arms around his shoulders in a brief hug.

They're  _finally_  here. So much closer to home.

"Look." He says when they pull away, pointing towards the ocean with a proud glint in his eyes. "There she is."

She turns around, her smile only widening when her eyes settle on the cruise ship in the distance. She can see the name from here, a wave of nostalgia washing over her.

It's not nearly as big as the ships she's traveled on before, but she already loves it far more than any other.

"If only you knew how fucking  _happy_  I am to see her. She's so beautiful." Her voice is filled with honesty as Eleanor faces him again, unable to fight off her smile. But for now, she doesn't give a fuck. "Are we allowed to go on board already? She only leaves tomorrow morning."

He raises an eyebrow. "You're my guests of honor. Let's go. I'll call a staff to move the truck and the motorcycle to the cargo hold."

"God, I can't  _wait_ to sleep on a decent bed." She says, looking over at the Walrus again and Charles rolls his eyes at her words, heading to the truck to retrieve their bags.

* * *

"There will be food for us at the dining room around 10 p.m. tonight. Can I expect you two to come?" Flint asks when the group reaches the cabin Charles and Eleanor would be occupying for the next few days, and Anne snorts.

"I wouldn't count on that."

The trio's leader tries hard to contain his smirk, setting their bags on the bed while Eleanor takes a look around the cabin.

"Yes. We'll be there."

The look on Flint's face lets her know he doesn't really believe her words but he stays silent, closing the door to go show the other couple their own cabin.

Silence reigns as soon as they are left alone and she slowly looks over at Charles, seeing him step out on the balcony right beside the bed to watch the ocean.

Knowing that he wanted some time for himself, she sighs, glancing around their accommodations again with a soft smile on her face.

The cabin is just small enough for it to be cozy without giving a claustrophobic feeling. Near the entrance there's a closed door to what she assumes is the bathroom, then there's a small living space with a couch and coffee table. There's also a drawn curtain in the middle of the cabin, offering a way to separate the bed area from the rest of it, much like the curtains to Jack and Anne's room back at the hideout.

The double bed seems comfortable and she feels like the red plush microfiber blanket is calling out to her. Walking over, she lets her fingers brush the fabric, sighing in satisfaction. It will be heaven to sleep under this thing.

_In his arms._

Repressing a shiver, she glances over her shoulder at the flat screen TV right in front of the bed before taking a deep breath and walking over to the balcony.

Charles doesn't even glance at her as she closes the glass door, slowly walking over to join him at the railing.

_Why is he still giving her the cold shoulder?_

"It's beautiful." She says as they watch the city and he shakes his head.

"It will be beautiful once we're in the open sea. This is nothing."

Feeling encouraged that he didn't just grunt at her like a savage beast, Eleanor moves closer, laying her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh. "It was a secret dream of mine back then, you know? Traveling on a ship with you."

"All you had to do was ask."

She scoffs, reaching to intertwine her fingers with his. "Easier said than done."

_Never too late._

They watch the sunset together for what feels like forever, the red, pink and orange skies offering them a gorgeous spectacle.

Her cruel part can't help but think that while they're sharing this moment, Woodes and his ex-wife are stuck in the hospital.

And she doesn't feel bad in the slightest for thinking like this.

Her mother would probably admonish her, saying this attitude isn't what spiritism encourages, saying she's supposed to treat everyone the way she wants to be treated and that she shouldn't wish pain on others.

But in Eleanor's opinion, with some people, this is simply impossible.

And if this makes her a bad person, she doesn't give a fuck.

"I was trying to keep you safe." That grave voice interrupts her thoughts and she frowns in confusion for a moment before understanding he was talking about their fight last night. "I don't want anyone trying to take you away from me again. Ever."

She lifts her head from his shoulder, meeting his eyes. "No one will. I'm here to stay this time. I  _want_  to stay."

He scoffs, squeezing her hand without even realizing it. "And you think that Rogers cares about what you want?"

"He's not a threat to us anymore. I talked to Max last night. She said he's still in coma."

Charles shakes his head, tension evident in every muscle of his body. "We're not free from that idiot. I just know. It can't be this easy. We  _will_  hear from him again, Eleanor."

"Maybe you're right. For now, however... he has no way of harming us. Or anyone else, for that matter."

She smiles, happy to see the right corner of his lips twitch slightly too. Unable to resist how good he looks in the sunset glow, Eleanor leans in to press the slightest kiss to his lips, keeping his gaze as she pulls away, her free hand coming up to trace his cheekbone.

"I think we already fought enough for a month during the roadtrip. Can we please  _try_  to stay at peace for a while now?"

This time he smirks fully, shrugging and snaking an arm around her waist to pull her closer. "Doesn't hurt to try."

_Speaking of hurting..._

Her heart skips a beat and she bites her lower lip before moving to whisper in his ear. "Pain's gone, by the way."

He doesn't ask if she's sure. He doesn't hesitate even for a second. As soon as the words leave her mouth, he's kissing her, and they struggle to open the glass door.

The faint sunset glow is the only illumination in their cabin as they close the small distance to the bed, competing to see who got rid of more clothes first, and the feeling of the plush blanket meeting her naked back mixed Charles' touch on the skin of her thighs and stomach tears a soft moan of satisfaction from her throat. She knows all he wants right now is to fuck her into the mattress until she's screaming his name, but the pirate surprisingly rolls them over so she's on top, and Eleanor sees it in his eyes.

He doesn't trust his self control, too scared of hurting her again.

So he gives her full control.

Her heart fills with warmth for only a moment and soon she's moving above him, reveling in the feeling of him inside her again after a whole long, stressful week with no intimacy between them.

It's heaven.

One of his hands leaves her thighs, traveling up to her left breast and she guides the other one to that hidden bundle of nerves he loves so much. He wastes no time, thumb playing with it just the way she likes. She throws her head back, cursing under her breath and Charles can't help but smirk as he enjoys the perfect sight. How he missed her nails digging into his skin and those sweet sounds leaving her mouth.

Eventually their eyes lock again, the sun disappearing in the horizon as darkness slowly takes over their cabin. After all those days without  _this_ , it doesn't take too long before she's right on the edge, sweat trailing down her back. One last flick of his thumb and she's flying, his name on her lips. Charles finally gives in, rolling them over again with a growl.

It only takes a handful of thrusts before he buries his face in her neck, biting her hot, sensitive skin while riding out his release. Silence returns as he collapses beside her and she immediately moves closer, laying her head on his chest, their sweat mixing together while they catch their breath.

"You okay?" He asks after a few moments and she smiles, pressing a kiss to his birthmark.

"Better than okay."

"You know what I mean."

"You didn't hurt me, you idiot. Stop spoiling this moment."

He smirks at her words, holding her closer and dropping a quick kiss to the top of her head. Neither knows how much time has passed, the moon already shining brightly in the sky as they enjoy this peace. Suddenly Eleanor chuckles quietly and he frowns in confusion, meeting her joy-filled eyes as she looks up at his face. "What is it?"

"We're going home."

_Together._

He's unable to contain his smile, kissing her lips and covering her body with his again.

Hours later, at the dining room, Flint checks the time on his watch as he shares a bottle of rum with the two other people.

Almost midnight already and no sign of them.

He shakes his head with a half smirk while Jack and Anne roll their eyes.

_Should've known._


	57. Coming Home

Her body feels tender in all the right places as Eleanor stretches lazily, only half covered by the blanket. Her eyes remain closed and she's intent on getting some more sleep, but the absence of her favorite pillow and source of warmth finally makes her wake up fully, blue green eyes searching the cabin.

And finding a half naked, blue eyed pirate staring at her from the balcony with a captivated look on his face.

She immediately relaxes, offering him a lazy smile, blinking slowly. Only then she notices they're moving.

"We left Newport?"

Charles nods, taking a drag from his cigarette, eyes drinking in everything he could see of her naked body. "About three hours ago actually."

She frowns, reaching for her phone and seeing it was almost 11 in the morning already. Glancing back at Charles, the blonde narrows her eyes. "How long have you been watching me?"

He shrugs, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Since we left Newport."

"And may I ask why you didn't wake me up?"

"Why would I lose the chance to admire this sight?"

She rolls her eyes, pulling the blanket up to her chest and ruining his fun. An indignant look comes to his face.

"Have you really been watching me for three hours?"

"Not really. Flint came by earlier to make sure I knew about the rules of the ship."

Alarm fills her eyes. "Did he see..."

Charles just points to the curtains and she notices they are closed now, effectively hiding the bed and her naked body from the rest of the cabin. Sighing in relief, she looks at the balcony again as her pirate walks back inside. "You think I'd let any other man see you like this?"

With a raised eyebrow, Eleanor reaches for him, grabbing a hold of his hips and pulling him closer. "You do know that he would probably be a lot more interested in admiring  _your_ naked chest than mine, don't you?"

He just smirks, pushing her down to the mattress and covering her body with his. They barely kiss for five seconds before there's a knock on the door.

"Are you two alive?" Jack's muffled voice comes from outside their cabin and a low growl sounds in the back of Charles' throat.

Eleanor smirks, pushing him away and getting to her feet. "Go see what he wants. I'll get dressed. Then once you're presentable too, you and I will go see more of the ship."

"Define 'presentable'." He says with a scowl and she laughs, reaching to shove his shoulder.

"Go!"

With a heavy sigh he walks past the curtains and she gets to her feet, stretching with a soft smile before making her way over to her suitcase while Charles talked to Jack at the door.

For the first time ever, Eleanor feels she's just where she's supposed to be.

No regrets.

No doubts torturing her relentlessly.

_No fear._

* * *

"You should have seen Jack's face when he went to our cabin. Looks like he's really hungover. Must have been one hell of a night with Anne and Flint."

Charles says as they walk near the ship's rail, and she chuckles briefly. The criminal can't stop fidgeting with his blazer, clearly uncomfortable in the new, expensive clothes. Eleanor rolls her eyes, grabbing one of his hands. "Will you stop that?"

"I look like an idiot."

"You look handsome. Now relax."

Just as he clenches his jaw in annoyance, an equally pissed off Anne makes her way over to them, wearing Prada pants and blouse.

The sight of these two dressed like this is too much, and Eleanor has to bite her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

She doesn't want Anne and Charles to throw her overboard.

"Not even a whole day yet, and I already want to kill someone."

The trio's leader agrees with her words completely. "Where's Jack?"

"At our cabin, vomiting his liver. And yet he still somehow managed to muster up the strength to make me wear these ridiculous clothes before leaving."

Eleanor sighs, moving to the rail while they. Strangely, she's starting to miss Jack. It's hard to deal with Charles and Anne on her own, so she really wishes he was here right now.

Like some kind of reinforcement.

She suddenly realizes that this is probably the way it's going to be from now on. The dynamics of her new little family, already starting to form, and so naturally.

It makes her feel uncomforable.

But only for a moment.

"What the hell did the three of you do last night?"

Anne shrugs, pulling out her cigarette pack in hopes of calming her nerves. "Stayed drinking at the dining room, almost until dawn came. All I know is that there's a half-finished bottle of rum in our cabin, and I have no idea what happened to the one we drank before that. I also would like to know how we managed to go to bed. We slept through all the commotion of these snob idiots coming on board. When we woke up, the ship was already moving."

An older man walks by them, eyes moving to Anne's cleavage and she notices, giving him a murderous look and surging forward. He's taken aback, quickly moving away from them with a scared look on his face.

Eleanor shakes her head slightly, staring at the two savage beasts. They can dress them in expensive clothes, but never change their wild nature.

And now she really wishes they will reach Nassau as soon as possible. She has no idea how long she and Jack can keep these two from murdering someone, in this ship filled with the kind of people they hate the most.

Probably not for too long.

It's not before 5 in the afternoon that Jack finally shows up on deck, pale, nursing from a bottle of water. Somehow he still manages to look presentable. This man has a class she will never understand. Eleanor already thought about this three centuries ago, whenever she saw him standing out among the members of Charles' savage crew.

It's curious.

"Feeling better?" Anne asks with a sarcastic tone, smirking cruelly, and he rolls his eyes.

"One day, your luck will run out and you will have a hangover too. And I will laugh so much."

She chuckles, walking with him to the rail. "Don't hold your breath."

Breathing a sigh of relief, happy that she now only had one animal to watch again, Eleanor moves to sit on one of the lounge chairs, watching as the criminal did the same. They share a cigarette in silence until she smirks, meeting his eyes.

"Is this the part when you start showing me your drawings of the French girls?"

He frowns in pure confusion. "What?"

She hands the cigarette to him, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "Forget it."

Charles just shrugs, staring at the open sea as Flint made his way over to them.

"You two missed dinner last night."

"We fell asleep. Sorry." Eleanor says with an innocent smile and he raises an eyebrow at her words.

"I'm not Scott. No need to do this with me."

She chuckles and the criminal seems intent on ignoring the two of them, not averting his eyes from the horizon while smoking.

"But if by some miracle you two actually manage to get dressed and leave your cabin tonight, come to the dining room. It's formal night. Thought you'd like to know."

Charles coughs at that, finally looking over at him with an alarmed expression on his face while Eleanor smiles brightly. "We'll be there."

"I'm sorry, 'we'?"

She meets her pirate's eyes in warning and Flint represses a smirk.

"Good luck. I'll go tell the other two."

"There's no way in  _hell_  I'm going to that thing. Go alone." Charles says once they're alone again and she narrows her eyes at him.

"You  _are_  going. I bought you a suit, remember? I knew the cruise would probably have a formal night."

He finishes the cigarette, ready to toss it on the deck but one stern look from Eleanor makes him stop.

He clenches his jaw for a moment before reaching to brush her hair behind her ear, and she sees what he's trying to do, her suspicions only confirmed when the criminal uses that voice that makes her knees weak.

"How about we just order room service, some alcohol, and stay in the privacy of our cabin? I'm sure I can find plenty of ways to keep you...  _entertained_. You'll have more fun, I assure you."

For a split second her resolve  _almost_  falters.

But she's never been one to let him win.

"Be ready by 8 p.m., I don't want to be late because of you."

Charles gives her a look filled with venom, getting up from the chair abruptly.

"Then I suggest you find a rope. Because if you want to drag me into this hell, you're gonna have to hang me again first."

As he storms back to their cabin, finished cigarette still in hand, she rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the twinge of pain caused by his words.

"Everything okay?" Flint asks as he walks over to her again and she nods, forcing a smile.

"I'm used to his temper by now, just like he's used to mine... He simply wasn't too happy about the formal night."

"So he's not going? That's a relief."

She smirks at him. "Oh, he's going. Never underestimate me."

He sighs, shaking his head. "Maybe it would be better if you just gave up this time. I don't know how he would act in an environment like this... We don't know what could happen. I will keep you company, just leave your beast in the cabin where he can't murder anyone. Pick your battles, Eleanor."

"I  _want_  him to go. I'm... curious. I promise I will keep him in line, no one will die."

Flint rubs his forehead, and she can see there's something on his mind.

"What?"

"There's something you're overlooking..." He trails off for a moment, staring at the ocean before his attention returns to her.

"You are an attractive woman. I'm sure you will steal all the light tonight, all these bastards will stare at you. How will Charles react to that? You think you can keep him from lashing at the throat of the first man who looks at you for too long?"

She's not really sure but Eleanor thinks she heard something in his tone when he said the first two phrases.

He sounded like Scott.

Whenever the security man saw her in a party at the mansion, all dressed up, pride shone in his eyes. And he got all protective whenever he saw men looking at her.

_Fathers._

Will she have two Scotts now?

A soft smile plays on her lips. Deep down, she has to admit she likes this.

_Just a little bit._

"I'll come up with something. Don't worry. We won't bring you any trouble. Charles is going with me to the formal night, and no one will get hurt or killed. He will more than likely glare daggers at every man though. And that will probably be enough to leave them traumatized for the rest of their lives."

He stares at her for a moment before sighing heavily, a smirk tugging at his lips anyway. "Three centuries later, and you're still just as stubborn. I will trust you with this. But you better keep him in line."

"I will. Promise."

He hesitates for a moment. "And you better also make sure he will never harm you. That temper of his towards you... I don't like it one bit. If he ever hurts you, he will have to respond to me."

She raises an eyebrow at his words. It's a good thing Charles is such a hardened, fearless man. He has to deal with not only one, but  _two_  over protective "fathers in law".

_And it could be three._

Eleanor frowns, pain attacking her for a moment as she thinks about Richard. But strangely, he's not the only one that comes to her mind.

There's someone else.

"I know you don't like to talk about him... But I want to ask. Do you feel better now? I hope that today the tragedy doesn't affect you as much as it did 23 years ago."

Flint falls silent and she almost regrets speaking, afraid that she went too far. This whole thing is still so new to them too.

But eventually he forces a weak smile, meeting her eyes and retrieving an old photograph from the breast pocket of his blazer.

She stares at it when he hands it to her, seeing a young, blonde man with kind blue eyes and a beautiful smile.

"I managed to lock most of the pain away, again. It resurfaces, sometimes. But not too often. It was far worse when I was younger. In the few months after I found out he was dead, I sank really deep. There was so much darkness. Familiar darkness. But when you were born, when I held that tiny, delicate newborn in my arms... I realized we were both being given a second chance, and I was already fucking mine up. This is not what Thomas would want for me, and the least I could do was try to honor his memory."

"He was really handsome. Looked a little like you, actually."

A half smile comes to his lips as both of them stare down at the old photograph.

"I found this picture in the trashcan, after receiving the news. Looks like it was too painful for his parents to keep it. But to me, it's worth gold."

Eleanor nods, sighing when an old memory resurfaces.

"Max and I were victims of homophobia once too, about three years ago. We were walking hand in hand at the mall, and a few idiots started following us. Threatening us. I admit it was scary. And they didn't even touch us. So I can only imagine the nightmare he went through."

Flint returns the picture to his pocket, carefully, as if he's handling the most precious object in the world.

And it probably is, to him at least.

"I miss him a lot. All I want is to turn back time... to go to London sooner so I can save him. But unfortunately, that is not possible." He shakes his head, staring at the ocean. "Thomas was too sweet and good for this fucked up world anyway. Maybe it's better like this."

"But you'd still rather have him here with you right now."

"Of course I would. I should have gone to his rescue sooner, from what I saw... he was fresh out of the closet when he died. And from the looks of it, his parents didn't handle it too well."

Eleanor sighs heavily, shaking her head. Nothing new.

Max told her many parents kick their kids out of the house and cut them off from their lives when they come out of the closet. There are even special homes for these poor teenagers.

"Did you ever visit his grave? Maybe it could be good for you."

Flint grimaces at her words. "No. It would be too painful to see it. So I didn't even try to look for his grave. And I never went back to London after that."

She nods in understanding, offering him a sympathetic smile. "I see. I would probably have done the same thing."

He regards her in silence for a few seconds, and she knows exactly what he's thinking.

And considering how much Flint is helping them,the least she can do is enlighten him. "When the memories came back... Charles, he... It was tough. Really tough."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Not physically. But the stuff he said... my heart was broken. So I ran right back to Woodes' arms."

He sighs, disapproval written all over his face. "Of course you did."

Eleanor quickly speaks again, slightly ashamed of her actions and not wanting to ruin the moment they were sharing.

"It felt... wrong. I couldn't bring myself to be comfortable with him again, to feel what I felt before. Every time I was with him, Charles was all I could think about. It drove me fucking insane."

He smirks slightly. "Fate seems to love you two."

"You have no idea. It played with us twice. One night, I went on a dinner date with Woodes. I was exhausted afterwards, and fell asleep in his car while we made our way back to the mansion. So he carried me back to my bedroom. He went to my balcony's door to lock it, and since it was made of glass... Charles saw him and got really mad."

Flint frowns at that. "How come? He was watching the mansion?"

The blonde smiles brightly at that. "Actually... Yes. Anne was intent on killing me. So he kept standing guard... Watching my balcony every night to make sure I was safe. According to him, he only did that so there wouldn't be trouble for him and the other two."

He raises an eyebrow, shaking his head with a knowing half smirk as she continues.

"Then later, he and his accomplices took a fishing vessel to dump a body in the ocean. And guess whose yatch was nearby."

"Did he set a ship on fire and send it your way?"

Eleanor laughs, watching as Anne and Jack disappeared from their sight, heading back to their cabin. "No, but only because there weren't any other vessels nearby. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure the past would have repeated itself. And this time, there wasn't much Woodes could do to defend us. He was drunk. And I think so was Mason."

"His brother, right?"

"Yes. He's alive... And I'm worried. He will probably want revenge for what happened to his little brother soon."

They keep watching the ocean as a sudden, uncomfortable silence stretches. Eleanor clears her throat quietly. "Speaking of revenge... Did you ever try to track down Thomas' killers?"

A haunted look comes to his eyes and he clenches his jaw. "You know me. Of course I did. But I couldn't find anything. His parents refused to speak, so I asked around the neighborhood too. No one knew a thing. I even went to the police, but they weren't much help either."

She frowns. "That's strange..."

"Not really. Things have been changing for the better nowadays, but... It was much worse two decades ago. No one gave a damn when crimes like this happened. It's almost like society tried to hide them, wanting to show us that we had no place in the world. So it's only natural that no one really knew what happened to Thomas. I'm pretty sure the gang that killed him didn't receive any form of punishment either." Eleanor shakes her head, seeing the darkness that flickers in his eyes. "But I didn't give up. One day, I  _will_  track down these bastards, I  _will_  find them, and they  _will_  pay for what they did. Thomas will have to forgive me, but...  _This_  is something that I just can't let go of."

Eleanor nods, not condemning him in the slightest.

Because if she was in his place, she would want revenge too.

"Why do you think you're the only one who remembered everything, right from the beginning?" She asks, genuinely curious, but Flint just shrugs.

"That's what I always wanted to know too."

They watch in silence as the sun begins to set in the horizon and Eleanor gets up from the lounge chair.

"I better go make sure Charles didn't kill anyone on his way back to the cabin. See you later."

He nods, offering her a soft half smile. "Good luck. This was a good conversation."

She smiles back, her heart feeling strangely light. "It really was."

* * *

After returning to the cabin, she found Charles at the balcony, free from the blazer and expensive shirt, rum bottle in one hand and cigarette in the other. She rolled her eyes, already starting to admonish him but the words died in her throat as he threw the cigarette away, setting the bottle on the floor before roughly pulling her down into his lap.

Any anger she might be feeling vanished as he kissed her, and soon he got up from his chair, her legs wrapped around his hips. Eleanor thought he was just going to walk back inside to the bed, but once more the criminal surprised her, setting her on the railing and she broke the kiss, asking if he was insane.

And getting only a sinful half smirk as response, his eyes silently telling her to trust him as he dropped to his knees.

Initially, the fear was too strong. She didn't know how much he had to drink, if she could trust him to keep her from falling into the ocean below.

His grip was just as strong and sure as when he's sober though.

And his tongue just as talented.

So she decided to simply stop worrying and enjoy the moment, the rush and the pleasure.

And right now they're laying in bed, watching TV as the Walrus breaks through the waves, moonlight invading their cabin from the open balcony door.

Eleanor has absolutely no idea what movie is on, or even what is it about. She's far more interested in tracing the muscles of her pirate's abdomen. His hand is drawing patterns on her shoulder too, and she has a feeling he's not paying much attention to the TV either.

Closing her eyes, she moves closer, sighing in satisfaction and smiling softly as his arms tighten around her.

This moment is so perfect she could live in it forever.

_Forever..._

Her eyes snap open again, meeting his, and Charles raises an eyebrow at the accusing look on her face.

"Nice try. But not good enough."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Eleanor narrows her eyes at him, breaking free from his embrace and sitting up in bed. "You're a real bastard, did you know that? We nearly missed the formal night, now I have less than one hour to get dressed and do my makeup, because of you and your immature little games."

She rushes to the vanity near the bed, not even bothering with any clothes, starting to pull out her makeup supplies.

That infuriating half smirk comes to Charles' lips as he lays on his side, admiring her body. "Funny. I don't remember you saying a word of complaint half an hour ago, when you were screaming my name for everyone on the Walrus to hear."

She just clenches her jaw, not giving him an answer.

She knows he's right anyway.

But when Eleanor is halfway done with the makeup she finally has enough and meets his eyes. "What the fuck are you waiting for? Stop staring at me like an idiot and go get dressed!"

He raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "I already told you there's no way in hell I'm going to that thing."

She narrows her eyes at him. "You  _are_  going. I bought you a suit-"

"I didn't ask for the stupid suit!"

She shrugs, eyes returning to the mirror. "Fine then. Have it your way. No suit. No formal night..."

He stares at her in disbelief. It's not like her to give up so easily...

"...and no touching me for a month. Your choice."

His jaw clenches.

_Witch_.

Trying to repress her laughter as he gets up from the bed and storms over to the bathroom with the suit she bought is one of the hardest things Eleanor has ever done.

* * *

"I swear if you don't come out in the next minute I will push you right into the fucking sea."

A scoff comes from the other side of the door as Eleanor leans against the wall, already dressed, her makeup all done.

"I prefer that than going through the hell you're planning to drag me into."

"You're worse than a child. I bet not even Davina would be complaining so much."

A mumbled phrase comes from inside the bathroom, and it sounds like something along the lines of "Try getting my sister into a dress, let's see who's worse."

She rolls her eyes for what feels like the 1000th time today.

"I want to go to the formal dinner, and I am not going alone, Charles."

"Jesus, you'll have Flint! Just leave me here drinking in peace!"

"You know what I mean. I want people to see that I'm not... single."

Her words are met with silence and Eleanor smirks, knowing she said the exact right thing. Now just one more little push...

"I don't want men trying anything with me. That's why I need you. Unless you don't mind if I pay someone to act as my boyfriend or fiancée. Guess I'll do just that."

A low growl of warning reaches her ears.

"Like hell you will."

Much to her satisfaction, she hears the bathroom door being unlocked, but he hesitates for one final moment.

"At least let me keep some of my dignity."

"You are  _NOT_  going to the formal night in jeans and a leather jacket, Charles!"

"I look ridiculous like this!"

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that? Let me see. If you really do look ridiculous, I promise I'll let you know and we'll figure something out together, alright?"

Another mumble comes from the other side of the door but this time she doesn't understand what he said. And Eleanor has a feeling it's better this way.

Her heart skips a beat as the door opens, she's just so eager to see what he looks like.

Charles finally walks out.

She almost forgets how to breathe.

Back when they didn't even remember the past lives yet, it was already a secret dream of hers, to see him in a suit.

Every time she saw Woodes, she imagined what Charles would look like in those clothes.

The reality is so much better than any images her mind conjured.

"So?" He asks with a bored look, clearly uncomfortable as hell, fists clenched at his sides.

This snaps her out of her entranced state and she clears her throat, closing the distance between them to staighten his tie. "You look..."

"...like the governor." He says, trying to stay angry. But his eyes are moving over her body, and he can't get enough of how  _perfect_ she looks in this dress.

It's red, skin tight and long, but there's a slit that reaches to her thighs, though not high enough to expose her scars. With the deep, V-shaped neckline, high heels and her flawless smoky eye makeup, she looks like the perfect combination between sensual and classy.

Her sweet laughter makes his heart flutter.

"Trust me, he doesn't stand a  _chance_  against you."

"Why didn't you let me see this dress before?"

A wicked smirk comes to her lips. "Why ruin the surprise?"

She runs her hands up his sides under the suit jacket, feeling the warm, hard skin through the expensive white shirt, eyes still drinking in the sight of him dressed like this. He can't get enough of staring at her either, and when she looks up to meet his eyes, they both move at the same time, lips crashing together as they pulled each other closer.

Eleanor weakly tries to protest as he walks her to the small table right behind them, hoisting her up on it and stepping between her legs.

"We're gonna be late." She says, grasping at his hair when he kisses his way down her neck, one hand gripping her thigh, exposed by the slit.

"It'll be quick."

His grave voice leaves no room for argument.

But it's not like she has any.

* * *

They arrive at the dining room one hour later than predicted, a flush that had nothing to do with makeup still on her cheeks. Both of them are really surprised to see that Jack somehow managed to drag Anne here too, and she's wearing a dress.

Eleanor wonders what he used to convince her.

His hangover seems to be gone as the couple drinks wine at a round, big table right in the middle of the room, reserved only for the captain, the owner of the ship, special guests and the wealthiest passengers.

When Flint sees the newly arrived people, he glances down at his watch and rolls his eyes, gesturing for them to come closer.

After brief introductions, and after Charles gives Jack a murdering glare when his accomplice laughs at the sight of him in a suit, they finally sit down.

Eleanor represses a smirk, raising her phone to her face and pretending to be checking her reflection on the screen. But in reality, she was taking a picture of the bored, pissed off redhead slouched down in her seat at the other side of the table. Charles watches as she sends the picture to Max, shaking his head and patting her thigh with a half smile, amused to see again the proof of just how sneaky his Pirate Queen is.

If they had any plans of not drawing attention to themselves during their time on the Walrus, they are all ruined now. The four of them stand out like a sore thumb. Between Eleanor and Anne's beauty, the natural red hair, their dynamics, the two naturally classy people trying to keep their savage beasts in line, Charles' long hair and hardened features contrasting with the suit, there's not a single person that doesn't give them a second glance.

As the dinner progresses, Jack's charisma wins everyone at the table. Eleanor and him blend right on in, and he even talks directly to her sometimes, laughs with her, not showing any signs of hostility or the usual hesitance. But she has a feeling it's just an act and once they're not in front of all these people, it will all go back to normal.

For now though, she enjoys this easy atmosphere between them.

Charles and Anne stay silent, exchanging eye rolls and refusing to even smile at Jack's jokes, while everyone else laughed.

At first, most of the men at the table addressed the trio's leader, with comments about how lucky he was, and commending him for his "impeccable taste" in women. Of course, he glared daggers at them in response, a look full of warning in his eyes. His hostility was clear as the light of day, so they soon stopped, not even daring to look at him again.

The same comments soon are transferred to Jack, but in this case it's Anne's own look that makes the men stop, while her partner just laughs, agreeing with them completely.

"I'm the luckiest man in the world, friends." He says, trying not to show a reaction when the redhead kicks his shin hard under the table.

Eleanor's previous fears of a disaster happening seem far away now. Charles isn't really reacting too well to this environment, but at least he's not trying to kill anyone. And she lets him know how grateful she is, laying her head on his shoulder from times to times and resting her hand on his thigh.

But of course, something needs to ruin her comfort.

"Aren't you the heir to the Guthrie trading company, young lady?" One of the oldest man at their table speaks and her blood runs cold.

After sharing a brief glance with Flint, she forces a smile, nodding at the man. "Yes. I am a little... detached from the company at the moment, however."

"I met your father in New York, two years ago." He looks at his friends. "A brilliant, superb businessman. Six years ago, his company was doomed. Everyone thought it was finished... But then Richard somehow made it rise to the top, overcoming the financial crisis like a skilled sailor getting his ship through a storm... It was impressive. You should be proud of your father, Miss Guthrie."

She clenches her jaw, indignant anger rising in her chest. "Oh, I am proud... But of myself, not him. That was all me. Six years ago, when I was only 17 years old, I took the reins of the situation. I was the one who brought that company back to life, the one who made it rise to the top. If it wasn't for me, it would be ruined today. My father, the 'superb businessman'? Sorry, but he didn't really know what he was doing."

She feels Charles squeeze her thigh under the table, knowing he probably had a proud smirk on his face.

The old man considers her for a moment, eyes filled with silent scorn and disbelief.

"A schoolgirl? Running a company?"

His words remind her of James Bridge and she just raises her chin, nodding slightly.

And to her utter amazement, Jack speaks up.

"Oh, she was actually doing most of the management on her own, it's true. Don't let her blonde hair fool you, this woman has a brilliant mind."

Anne gives him a look filled with venom and Eleanor stares at him in disbelief for a moment until the man speaks again.

"I see... You said you're detached from the company at the moment. What happened?"

"I was simply tired of living in my father's shadow. Like you, everyone thought the success of the company was due to him, not me. So I decided to leave home and build another life for myself. Start my own business, eventually. And be recognized for my efforts, instead of watching all the credit go to my father."

The man watches her for a second before chuckling and sharing a look with his colleagues. "Women these days..."

Flint finally speaks up, an authoritarian look on his face. "Mr. Brennan, misogyny will not be tolerated at this table. It will not be tolerated on this ship, in fact. So I suggest you keep your old fashioned comments to yourself until we reach Nassau."

Eleanor bites her lip hard to keep herself from laughing, glancing over at her father figure with a proud smirk as the old fool speaks a quick apology and goes back to his wine.

Thankfully everyone's attention moves from them to other topics after that, and neither of the four people speaks too much.

It seems Charles is growing more and more bored with each passing second though, because she soon feels him touching her knee, fingers rubbing small, teasing circles on her skin as his hand slowly traveled up her thigh.

He's probably thanking God for the slit on her dress right now.

Eleanor swallows hard when he finally begins to touch her through her underwear, reaching for her wine glass and looking around. Everyone else seems blissfully unaware of what's going on under the table and she scoffs silently at the look on his face when she meets his eyes.

His expression is so neutral.

Minutes drag by as she stubbornly tries to ignore these clever fingers of his, attempting to pay attention to the others' conversation.

But soon enough, she knows it will be impossible to stay here any longer. Her face is almost betraying them, and she's starting to squirm in her seat.

Flint frowns in confusion when she gets up abruptly, saying a quick goodnight to everyone before leaving in a rush. He doesn't fail to see Charles' smirk as he follows her either.

As they wordlessly make their way back to their cabin, Eleanor suddenly pulls him into a dark corner of the hallways, clawing at the white shirt beneath the suit jacket and kissing him passionately.

"I hope you know that as soon as I'm satisfied, I will kill you." She says when they part for air and he chuckles briefly.

" _Much_  better than the noose."

She smacks his chest before he meets her lips again.

* * *

" _What the fuck_  was that back at the dining room, Jack? Why were you defending her?" Anne asks, glaring accusingly at him as they got ready for bed later that night.

Her partner sighs heavily, shaking his head. "I wasn't defending  _her,_ darling. I just don't like it when men like that old idiot try to belittle women. I wanted to shut him up. It could be you instead of Eleanor."

Her angry eyes soften a but at that, but she still keeps her distance from him.

"If you start growing soft and developing a friendship with that bitch, you better say goodbye to your balls."

He grimaces at her words and tone, turning his bedside table lamp off and getting under the covers.

"It won't happen. Don't worry."

Even though Anne is angry at him, she lets him pull her closer, sighing as she falls asleep in his arms.

He stays awake for a long time, caressing the little brute's naked back.

Strangely, Jack has the feeling his words about Eleanor will soon come back to bite him in the ass.

* * *

"Morning, Miss Guthrie." That deep voice says in her ear as she stretches lazily, grabbing a handful of his hair and opening her eyes. It's their third day on the ship and her sleep muddled brain hasn't realized what that means just yet.

"What time is it? Why'd you wake me up?" She mumbles sleepily, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Just thought you'd like to know that... We made port."

Her eyes snap open and she sits up immediately, staring at him then at the glass door of the balcony.

"We're home?" She asks in a small voice, eyes filling with tears as she gets up and pulls on one of Charles' discarded shirts.

He just smirks, following her as she rushes out the door, almost tripping on her own feet.

Tears flow freely, running down her cheeks while she grips the railing tightly, taking it all in.

Her Island.

_Her home._

All these unfamiliar buildings... But the beaches are the same. The air is the same, the  _sea_  is the same.

A choked sob leaves her lips and then she's laughing, trembling as his arms wrap around her waist from behind.

Charles kisses her left cheek, holding her safely while her heart races.

"Welcome home, Eleanor."


	58. House of Memories

For the first time in her whole life, Eleanor packs her stuff in a hurry, not caring in the slightest about keeping everything tidy. She just throws her clothes in the suitcase, speaking nonstop as Charles does the same, though silently. Everyone else is already leaving the Walrus and soon, the ship's owner meets them at the hallway with Jack and Anne.

No one says a word as they make their way out of the ship, and the weather is so  _familiar._

Eleanor tries hard to keep her legs from giving out under her.

The  _"Welcome to Nassau"_  sign makes her scoff.

She's not a tourist.

This is her  _home_.

The four other people stop, watching in confusion as she just keeps walking.

Flint shares a look with Charles and he calls out for her, knowing she's not really thinking straight right now. The emotion is too strong.

"Where are you going?" He asks when she glances at them over her shoulder and she frowns, taking a look around.

And the pirate realizes it suddenly.

_She was looking for the tavern._

His heart clenches and he makes his way over to her, bringing his hands to her arms.

"For a moment, I forgot-" She says in a small voice and he sees the pain mixing with the pure joy and emotion in her gorgeous eyes.

"Perfectly understandable. Don't push yourself too hard, alright? It's normal for you to spend a while in an emotionally fragile state. There's nothing wrong with that, so don't fight." He grabs a hold of her chin, neither of them caring that Flint and the other couple were watching just a few feet away. "I'm here for you. You can lean on me. You don't have to do this alone."

She stubbornly shakes her head, swallowing hard, trying to deal with the conflicting emotions; happiness, pain and nostalgia, as best as she possibly could.

Quickly regaining her composure, as always, Eleanor steps away from him and schools her face into a more neutral expression, looking at the three other people. "So where are we going now?"

"Hotels around here aren't exactly cheap. There is a place I own... I was talking about this with Jack and Anne yesterday. You can stay there for as long as you need. It may be... Difficult for you, however." Flint says, eyes not leaving hers.

"Difficult? Why?"

He sighs heavily, taking the lead.

"Come with me."

* * *

**_Havana_ **

**_30 years ago_ **

_"I have a bad feeling. Please stay here with us, just for a while longer." The dark haired teenager pleads, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt while she watched her older brother play with the tiny infant in his arms._

_He sighs, shaking his head, a warm smile tugging at his lips as his newborn nephew tangles his little hands in his beard. "Nothing will happen, Naomi. The only person who knows where we are is her. And she is our ally. I wouldn't leave unless I was sure you and Charles would be safe." He lets the baby grab a hold of his index finger, big blue eyes staring up at his face. "And if anything, I'm leaving a gun behind. You're learning how to use it. Everything will be just fine."_

_Naomi lets out a broken sigh, running a hand through her dark locks. "Edward-"_

_"I told you. There's stuff I need to do, I am trying to ensure our survival. It's not just the two of us anymore."_

_He watches as his sister heads back to her room, her hand already gripping the gun._

_"Be careful with that thing around the baby!" He calls out before looking down at his nephew again._

_The infant lets out a soft hiccup and he chuckles at that, speaking in a quiet voice so only they could hear. "Look at you now. So fragile and small. If it wasn't for those unmistakable eyes of yours, I would doubt the medium's words."_

_The baby keeps playing with his beard, the birthmark around his neck bringing a fresh wave of hatred over his uncle._

_What he wouldn't do to get revenge for what was done to him..._

_Sighing heavily, he forces a smile. "I promise I will get us out of this mess, my boy. Soon, the three of us will be safe and away from here. I won't let anyone hurt you again. And when you grow up, we'll show this stupid world what we're capable of. Because this time, no **one** will stand between us."_

_The baby soon starts to blink heavily up at him and he begins to hum his favorite lullaby. As always, it works, and in no time his nephew is asleep in his arms, his small body almost disappearing in contrast with his uncle's massive one._

_He carefully untangles the tiny hands from his dark beard, dropping a kiss to one of them before setting the infant back on his bassinet._

_"Take care of your mother for me until I come back." Edward whispers, caressing the baby's soft, dark hair before leaving their small hideout._

_Little did he know, he would never see his sister alive again._

* * *

**Nassau**

**Present Days**

Eleanor stares at the house in front of them in silence, trying to ignore the fear rising in her chest.

"One month after the tragedy, I came back to the Island and bought this terrain. It took the workers a while to get it right, but eventually I was satisfied." Flint says, eyes not leaving the house.

She looks over at him. "Why did you do this to yourself?"

He shrugs. "I honestly have no idea. But I spent months living here."

"You like to suffer." Eleanor says with a shake of her head, eyes returning to the familiar house.

It feels as if she traveled back in time.

It's  _identical_  to the Barlow house. Every tiny detail is impressively accurate.

And it sends an unpleasant shiver down her spine.

"It's alright if you don't want this. We can find a hotel." Charles says beside her but she's quick to object.

"We must save as much money as we possibly can. I'll be fine. This is nothing."

He watches in concern as she makes her way to the front door before following with their suitcases.

"It's been a while since the last time I came here. There's probably dust all over the place." Flint warns them, unlocking the door. The tension is thick as they walk inside the house and Charles keeps watching Eleanor closely as she looks at the dust-covered furniture, each piece also identical to the ones from the past. Flint probably had it all custom made.

"I understand it may be hard for some of you to stay here. Personally, I don't like this place. I will just stay somewhere else, but... As I said before, you're all welcome to live in this house for as long as you need. If you decide to stay, I will call the staff and have them bring the truck and motorcycle here."

Eleanor glances at her new father figure before raising her chin at the other couple. "Charles and I will stay here. I believe we need to save money, so there's no sense in staying at some expensive hotel when we have this house."

"She's right, darling. What do you think?" Jack asks the redhead beside him and she shrugs, making her way over to the nearest bedroom.

"As long as the walls are thicker than the ones we had back at the hideout... I'm sick of hearing these two fuck every single night."

Anne's words bring an even more uncomfortable silence and her partner sighs heavily, following her to the bedroom so they could unpack.

After the four of them spend the afternoon cleaning the house and making it livable again Jack heads back to the city with the Ford Ranger to get some food for them.

No one eats too much though.

Silence reigns as each couple heads off to their chosen bedrooms. Being in this house feels even weirder now that it's dark. Even though there are modern lamps, none are working, so they rely on candles for now.

It makes them feel as if they actually went back to the previous lives.

Eleanor hasn't said a word since Flint left the house, and this distance is starting to bother Charles. She just keeps staring out the window of their room, arms crossed and posture stiff. He knows she's going through a lot of pain, and it kills him that he can't try to offer his support right now.

If he did, she would just shut him out.

So he just lays in bed, smoking a cigarette and staring at her unmoving form as a storm begins to fall outside.

Suddenly, she turns around and rushes over to the bed, tears glinting in her eyes as she climbs on the mattress and straddles his lap.

Charles lets her kiss him for a few moments, unable to resist her, but soon he rolls them over and restrains her wrists above her head.

"What the  _fuck_?" She tries fighting against his hold, tries breaking free and kissing him again.

But it's useless.

"I think there's some stuff we need to set straight here, Eleanor. For one... After the time you spent with that idiot, it seems you forgot that from me, you cannot hide."

She scoffs at his words, still fighting. But he shows no signs of backing down.

"I know this is really hard for you. I know that being in this house brings back painful memories. And I also know that if you have it your way, you will keep all of this to yourself. But remember something." She slowly goes still but the fire in her eyes doesn't die down, and she's still glaring daggers at him. "The days when you could hide behind sex and ignore our connection are long gone. I see right through you, just as I always did, and these last few walls between us  _need_ to go down. I won't force you to open up. I know that this is your decision to make, but... I  _will_  give you a little push. Because if I don't, things will always stay the same."

"I'm fine!"

He shakes his head, still restraining her movements.

"You're  _not_  fine. The sooner you accept that you need help to deal with all those demons from the past, the sooner you will overcome them and feel better. So start working on that... I'm not your enemy. Not anymore."

Thunder roars outside as Charles extinguishes the candle on their bedside table with his own fingers before laying on his side, pulling her closer.

"Now get some sleep. It was a long day. You need to rest."

Her pale hands hold on to his hair, one of them moving to the back of his neck. Her fingers caress it almost imperceptibly, though she's still letting her annoyance show. It's like deep down, she's thankful for what Charles just did. And this is her way of showing it.

And Eleanor knows he will always read her body language as easily as she read the books back at her father's office.

As she buries her face on his chest, three little mumbled words leave her lips.

"I hate you."

He just smirks, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, holding her safely as she falls asleep in his arms.

* * *

Charles wakes up alone as morning light filters in through the only window in their new room, a frown coming to his face.

Back at his ship, even the slightest noise would always wake him up. How does this woman keeps managing to sneak out of bed right under his nose, again and again?

Trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that always settles on his gut every time he wakes up alone, Charles puts on his jeans before leaving the room in search of her.

She's at the fireplace room, staring outside through a window, near the front door.

Her back is turned to him as she drinks from a glass of water, lost in thought.

His heart clenches.

_She looks so fragile._

Charles slowly walks over to her, as stealthy as a cat, thinking the surprise of wrapping his arms around her from behind would be good for her.

Little did he know, this was the worst thing he could have done.

And he only realizes that too late, when she turns around with wide eyes, horror written all over her face.

The glass drops to the floor and she actually tries to fight him for a moment, punching his jaw before seeing he wasn't a threat.

A broken sob leaves her lips.

"Please don't ever do that again. Especially not in this house, and not near this window."

Eleanor rushes over to the table, sitting down on one of the now dust-free chairs. He rubs his jaw, noticing that she's shaking slightly, clueless as to what could have caused such a reaction.

Minutes drag by until she finally looks up at him.

"It was exactly at that window... I turned around and he-"

She takes a deep breath, knowing she already cried yesterday, and Eleanor refuses to it again so soon. "He was right behind me. I can still see his disgusting face so clearly. As if he's here."

It takes him a moment to understand she was talking about her killer.

His fists clench and he joins her at the table, trying to get his temper under control, hate for this man mixing with hate for himself. He's such an idiot. He just made her relive a scary moment from the past.

This is the last thing she needed right now.

"I don't know how..." He begins, meeting her eyes. "...but one day, I will find this man. Mark my words. I will find him and I will kill him with my bare hands."

She frowns at his words, but anything she might have said dies in her throat when his phone rings on the table.

He reaches for it, scowling at the screen before meeting her eyes again. "It's Mary."

They both feel apprehensive.

Why is she calling?

Did something happen to Davina? Or was it Teach?

Charles hesitates for one last moment before finally answering the call, making sure to leave it on speaker so Eleanor could hear too.

"Is my sister okay?" He asks immediately, not even letting Mary say a word.

_"She's fine, she's sleeping right now. I didn't call because of her... It's Teach."_

Eleanor's blood run cold, her heart skipping a beat as Mary continues to talk.

_"He requested to speak to me again a couple hours ago and asked about you. Said that if you don't come here in a few months, he'll leave in search of you. Apparently, he's eager to fix something from the past. Probably the fact that he left you at the orphanage as a baby, but I can't help but think that there's more to this story... I don't understand, Charles. Sometimes he speaks as if he knows you, not in the way an uncle knows his infant nephew, but... As if he knew you after you grew up... How's that possible?"_

He sighs heavily, eyes locked with Eleanor's as she shook her head in silence.

"It's not."

_"Well... Whatever the case, he seems to have huge consideration for you. He misses you, it's obvious. So when are you coming?"_

Charles reaches to squeeze his Pirate Queen's hand. "I don't know. We just arrived in Nassau yesterday, Mary."

_"How's Eleanor? Davina asks about her a lot."_

The blonde feels her heart flutter, a warm smile tugging at her lips.

God, she misses that little girl more than she'll ever admit.

"Being a pain in the ass, as usual." She rolls her eyes at his words, chuckling anyway as he speaks again. "How's my sister? I heard there's violence in Somalia. Is she safe?"

_"She's perfectly safe. We don't really stay with the pirates. Instead, we live in a house, away from their secret base, with my cousin Billy. He's one of them."_

Eleanor frowns at the name, sharing a look with Charles.

_Is it possible?_

"Billy, you say?"

_"Yep. Davina loves him, he helps me take care of her. You'll like him. He's great."_

He shakes his head, letting out a brief sigh. "Call me in case you notice anything strange with Teach, or if he talks to you again. I also want to speak to my sister later, when she wakes up."

After he says goodbye and ends the call, Eleanor scoffs. "This just keeps getting crazier and crazier."

"Billy is not exactly an unique name. It could be someone else."

She laughs bitterly. "Oh, it  _is_  him. I'm sure of it. Just another little surprise from fate."

He shrugs, reaching for the cigar he left on the table last night and working on lighting it.

As she watches him smoke, a sense of hopelessness spreads in her chest and she sighs heavily. "We just got here..."

Charles squeezes her hand again, reassuringly. "We're not going anywhere. You  _just_  got home. I won't take this away from you. Let's just enjoy this peace for now, Somalia can wait. My uncle can wait."

"What if he comes here?"

He shakes his head, blowing out smoke. "You heard Mary. We have a few months."

Eleanor is not reassured in the slightest by his words. "But what if he changes his mind?"

"Relax..."

"No, I won't fucking relax! Charles, what if we wake up next week and Blackbeard is at our door? Why can't you be more cautious?"

If he's worried, he doesn't let it show, his tone sure and almost bored. "If he shows up here, I'll protect you. Simple as that."

Eleanor still has a doubtful look on her face.

"Hey." He moves his chair closer to hers, holding her chin.

"When I promise to keep you safe, you know I always do just that. I won't let anyone hurt you. You won't be harmed by my actions..." She sighs, still scowling as he brushes hair behind her ear. "...I'm not the governor."

She bites her lower lip and Charles doesn't avert his eyes from hers for a second.

"Do you trust me, Eleanor?"

The blonde swallows hard, giving him an almost imperceptible nod. But it's already enough to satisfy him and he lets go of her face, leaning back on the chair as she watches the cigar in his hand.

She needs something to calm her nerves, and there's not any alcohol in here yet.

"Is it too different from smoking a cigarette?" She asks, eyes glued to the cigar as he hands it to her.

"A little."

Her eyes meet his again. "Teach me?"

He can't help the smile that comes to his lips.

"The trickiest part is to light it. But I took care of that already. Just draw in the smoke. Don't inhale. Puff and rotate it sometimes to keep it lit."

She does as he instructed, coughing a little at first, not really used to it. But soon she's doing it right and he watches the scene with an entranced look on his face.

"Captain-" Jack appears at the fireplace room, pausing and looking at the couple for a moment.

"Really?" He says with a slight roll of his eyes as Eleanor hands the cigar back to its owner, Anne appearing at her partner's side too with a sour look.

They have breakfast in silence, and the day progresses uneventfully.

Eleanor and Charles leave the house in the afternoon to take a walk on the nearest beach, staying away from the city for now. She doesn't know if she's ready to see it yet.

When it starts to rain again, they ride back to the house on the motorcycle, seeing the other couple working on lighting the fireplace.

"I was just telling Anne..." Jack says, glancing at his leader over his shoulder. "...how different the city looks now. You need to see it. It's pretty interesting. And I saw this place yesterday... We  _must_  visit it."

"What place?" Charles asks, settling on the couch with Eleanor.

"It's a museum... A museum about us."

"What do you mean?"

"It's about the pirates that lived here in the past. There must be stuff about us there."

Charles rolls his eyes, not really sure if he wanted to know what image people had of him nowadays. But he has a feeling Jack will manage to drag them to this place sooner or later.

And it doesn't help that Eleanor seems interested on it too.

_He's screwed._

* * *

"I wanted to thank you."

Her quiet voice cuts the silence like a knife as they lay in bed that night, their room illuminated by the faint candlelight.

"What for?"

"I've been wanting to say this since the formal night on the Walrus... Back then, you didn't even try to blend in. You didn't try to act any different, to be someone you're not. That's why I wanted to thank you. For being who you are. Being yourself. It's reassuring, really... To know that now, I'm not loving an idealized version of someone... Like I did three centuries ago, after meeting  _him_. I'm relieved that this won't happen again."

He nods, fingers caressing her naked back as some painful words echo in his mind.

"Was it true? What Rogers said before I fought him?" He meets her eyes, a soft scowl on his face. "Were you relieved to get rid of me?"

Her heart clenches and she sighs heavily, not wanting to lie to him.

"Yes. I was so relieved. But you know what? It lasted only for a short while. I guess... Once I truly realized that I'd never see you again..." Hiding her face on his chest, she revels in the sound of his beating heart. "It still hurts. Sometimes I just can't get that image out of my head. Your dead body in that cage."

He shakes his head, fingers now combing through her golden hair as they listen to the rain falling steadily outside, both remembering how frequent it is at this time of the year.

Charles knows she's in pain, and all he wants is to make it go away. So he decides to change the topic.

"By the way... Those were some damn good punches. You made me proud."

It works. She laughs quietly, meeting his eyes again.

"Really?"

"I can still feel them."

"My hands got it worse." She admits with a playful grimace, so relieved that they are now able to talk about this without anger. Even though she knows it will all probably resurface sooner or later.

For now, however, everything's just fine.

He reaches for her hands, massaging her knuckles softly even though both of them know they have already healed a long time ago. It's more of a symbolic gesture.

Like when he caressed her stomach after she told him about the baby.

He said she made him proud, and that felt so good that she suddenly wants more of it. "Did I mention that I shot the Spaniard?"

Surprise flickers in his eyes. "You just said you fought him... Did the bullet hit him?"

There. Pure pride in his voice.

Her heart fills with warmth and she nods, fingers rubbing soft circles on his chest.

"His shoulder. I had it pointed to his head though. But I missed."

"I'll make sure this situation will never repeat itself then. Soon, I will teach you how to fire a gun properly. And after that, you will keep one with you whenever I'm not around to protect you." He says, suddenly clenching his jaw, a somewhat haunted look in his eyes. "It's what Rogers should have done. He knew about the danger, he should have given you a weapon and taught you how to use it. But I guess it wouldn't be  _'appropriate'_  if people saw his perfect little wife carrying a gun around."

His voice is cold, filled with contempt, but it grows warmer again when he looks at her face. "I want to make sure you'll be able to keep yourself safe when I'm not nearby to do it myself."

Eleanor really hopes he didn't see the tears glinting in her eyes. Her walls come up again and she forces a chuckle, smirking at him. "As if I need your protection."

At that, he laughs openly for a brief second, shaking his head at her. "I think our friend Ned disagrees. How many times did I save you from him by now? Like three, right?"

Eleanor narrows her eyes at him, though she ends up smiling anyway. "If he ever remembers the past, he'll be so fucking pissed. Thirsty for our blood, probably."

Her criminal just shrugs, not worried in the slightest about this possibility.

"And I will happily offer his head to you on a silver platter all over again."

This time, a glint that has nothing to do with tears come to her eyes, her smile not vanishing.

"My knight in shining... leather." He rolls his eyes at her words as she moves to press a soft kiss to his lips, pulling away with a smartass look on her face. "It was a pole though."

A brief chuckle leaves his lips as he covers her body with his on the mattress. "This time, it will be a silver platter. Only the best for you."

"And people say you're not romantic." Eleanor jokes, eyes falling closed as he begins to nip at her neck.

* * *

Later that night, the blonde leaves the safety of Charles' arms and carefully walks over to the fireplace room in the dark, wanting a glass of water.

She frowns, realizing the fire is still burning, but then she notices that Jack is awake, staring at the flames in silence.

"Can't sleep?" Eleanor asks without really thinking and he glances at her over his shoulder, a soft scowl coming to his face.

"Not really."

She drinks from her glass in silence, trying not to look at  _that_  window. And soon, she remembers something.

"Come outside with me. We must talk."

The man frowns in confusion, hesitating before following her out the door.

"What do you want?"

His hostility does nothing to discourage her. "Consider this my first official order to you."

Jack rolls his eyes at her words, jaw clenched. But she's quick to speak again.

"Jack, I need your help your help with something. I also need you to keep your mouth shut about it for now. Don't say a word to Anne, and especially not to Charles. Don't worry, it's nothing that will put us in trouble with him, but there's something I need to do..." He's staring at her face suspiciously. She raises her chin. "And we must be quick."


	59. The Ranger

"This is such a fucking  _joke._ " The criminal's outraged voice makes her smirk and shake her head. "I  _never_  wore these ridiculous clothes! And what the hell is this hair?"

Eleanor just shrugs, resting her chin on his shoulder as they stare down at the drawing of "him".

She and Jack finally managed to drag their beasts to the museum, and so far, things have been... interesting, to say the least.

"I can't believe this is the image the world has of me today. Who's responsible for this?" He meets her eyes with an accusing glare. "It was you, right?"

"I swear I had nothing to do with it. Blame the historians." She says with a smirk, relieved that there wasn't anything about her in here. She didn't mark history like they did. And while this may leave her a little bummed, it certainly has its perks.

Jack laughs at the portrayals of him, not minding the ridiculous drawings, unlike his two partners in crime.

And the highlight of their visit is when a member of the staff approaches Anne with a curious look on his face, talking about her red hair and naturally mean looks. And offering her a job.

"You would be  _perfect_  to portray Anne Bonny here at the museum, all you have to do is dress like her and scare the guests. Are you interested?"

All the poor guy gets is a fervent "fuck you" before the redhead storms out of the place, leaving him frozen in confusion.

As they walk out of the museum, Jack shares a look with Eleanor and she nods softly before smiling at the trio's leader.

"Leave the truck with us. Take the motorcycle and go back to the house. Jack and I have some stuff to do."

Charles narrows his eyes in suspicion. "What stuff?"

"Shopping for clothes. Do you need anything?" She asks, knowing this was the best way to make him lose any interest in this.

And surely, he rolls his eyes.

"Take care of her." He warns Jack before heading over to the motorcycle, a still fuming Anne following him in silence.

They watch as the two of them ride away, quickly disappearing from their sight. Only then Eleanor gets on the driver's seat, waiting until Jack was in the truck it too before starting the engine.

They have been home for three weeks now, and this is one of the first times she's actually venturing into the city.

It's not so bad. Her heart still clenches when she looks at all the unfamiliar buildings, but it's nothing she can't handle.

The worst was the first time.

During their 7th day here, she suddenly asked Charles to take her to the city, which he reluctantly did.

And the first place she asked to see was the tavern.

Her heart broke in a million pieces as she stared at the strange bar that now took its place, and it was hard not to cry while she went inside, looking all around, Charles close behind her like the guardian angel he was.

Ready to catch her if she needed him to.

That was one of the hardest things she did after coming back home, losing only to spending time in the Barlow house again.

"You think he suspects anything?" Jack's voice bring her out of her thoughts and she shrugs, repressing a smirk.

"Not yet. He did notice I've been acting weird lately, but has no idea why. What about Anne?"

He sighs, staring out the window. "She's pissed at me. Because I'm spending time with you."

"Well, don't worry. This will be over by the weekend, remember? Then you can justify your actions. I'm sure she will understand."

He snorts, fingers tapping on his knee. "Let's just hope she won't murder me in my sleep first."

Eleanor chuckles at his words and he actually smiles for a brief second.

Things have been surprisingly easy between them, ever since that night when she told him about her plans and asked for his help.

She suspects Jack really likes what she's doing. And he also wasn't expecting it at all.

"So, the furniture?" He asks and she nods.

"It will all be ready by the weekend."

"How in the world did you manage to make them work so fast?"

She gives him a witty smirk. "Money buys everything."

"Exactly how much money do you have saved? Does Charles know about it?"

"Enough for me to be able to do this..." She says, referring to their secret little errands. "And ensure our survival for a while if anything happens and we lose the money you guys have... hunted. As for your other question, no, he doesn't. But I will tell him about it once he receives his... gift."

Jack shakes his head, though he can't help but admire her. "You're always thinking ahead, aren't you? You always have everything planned."

She shrugs, sighing softly as they approach their destination, the faint, distant crashing of the waves already reaching her ears.

"I try to. But it doesn't work all the time. If everything went according to my plans, right now I would be still in LA, marrying Woodes again." Eleanor represses a shudder, scowling at the thought. "But I'm not. And for once, I'm happy that my plans were frustrated."

Jack nods, satisfied with her answer as she stops the truck.

"We didn't really need to come here today. You took care of everything two days ago, it's already legally your property."

Eleanor just keeps walking, unable to fight away the stupid smile on her lips. "I know. But I just wanted to see it again. Are you sure we made the best choice?"

Jack nods again and they come to a stop, eyes glued to their newest acquisition.

"Trust me, I know Charles. This is the best one you could have bought. It suits him perfectly and it will be love at first sight."

"God, I really hope so. I'm actually nervous about the weekend."

"You have nothing to be nervous about."

Silence stretches as they stand there, and Jack eventually sighs.

"I still can't believe you're doing this."

She represses a smile, staring up at the beauty in front of them. "Me neither... But it's the right thing to do."

"If he was already in love with you, after this it will be pathetic."

Eleanor chuckles at his words, knowing he was right.

"Want to go check on the furniture? I'm eager to see their progress." She says as they walk back to the truck and her new "partner in crime" nods.

"Sure thing, Miss Guthrie."

* * *

There's something going on, and Charles knows it.

For the past three weeks, Eleanor has been really elusive, she's clearly hiding something from him. And she also looks excited sometimes, as if she has a big secret she really wants to tell him, but can't.

Visits to the city have been frequent, and weirdly, she always takes Jack with her. When he confronted his old friend, the only answer he got was that they were "running errands."

Charles also found some drawings a little over two weeks ago, of each piece of furniture he had in his ship's cabin during the previous life. Every tiny detail was perfect and he recognized it as Eleanor's work. But later, when he looked for the drawings again, they were all mysteriously gone.

All in all, he has no idea what's going on, and it bothers him. But at least he knows that whatever it is that she's up to, it's nothing bad. Otherwise, Jack would have warned him.

Still, this situation is bugging him a lot.

Sighing heavily, he focuses his attention back on the card game he was playing with Anne, silence reigning between them as the sun sets outside.

Just as darkness begins to invade the house they share a look, knowing it's time to light the candles and the fireplace. But before they can stop their game to do that, they hear the Ford Ranger stopping outside. And soon, Jack and Eleanor walk inside the house, holding two bags of clothes.

Jack gives them a look of disapproval when he catches sight of all the finished cigarettes in the ashtrays. These two take advantage of their alone time to smoke as much as they want, knowing they won't have to deal with any reprimands.

But at least they're not drinking.

_Tonight._

"Is  _this_  the example you wish to set for your sister?" Jack asks but Charles just glances around before shrugging with a sarcastic look on his face.

"I don't see Davina anywhere."

"Still." Eleanor says in a stern voice, starting to work on lighting some of the candles. "You really need to start thinking about this. You have a child in your life now, and she looks up to you a lot. You must be careful with what you do."

He rolls her eyes at her words as Jack goes over to the fireplace.

Finished with the candles, Eleanor approaches the table, ignoring Anne's glare.

"You've been playing cards and chain smoking like John Constantine the whole afternoon?" She asks with a raised eyebrow, letting him reach out to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her closer. Anne rolls her eyes and leaves the table, knowing their game was over. Charles has more interesting stuff to do now that his beloved little witch arrived.

He shrugs, eyes not leaving Eleanor's. "And what did you do?"

"I told you, we went shopping."

"The whole day?"

Just as she opens her mouth to speak, Jack saves her. "Took us a while to find a decent shop. And once we did, it was so full we had to wait for some time."

She nods as the man heads over to his and Anne's room, leaving them alone. Charles narrows his eyes at her.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth." She pulls away from him, heading to their own room and listening as he followed close behind her. A sound of annoyance leaves her lips as she lights their bedside table's candle and Charles closes the door, watching her curiously.

"How come you and Jack didn't take care of the electric lamps already?"

Eleanor sits on the mattress, glancing over at him. Ever since they arrived, he and Anne have been living perfectly well without electricity, not minding the cold baths and candles in the slightest.

Of course. The two savages could eat a raw pig to survive if they had to, without hesitating for even a second.

But she and Jack are different, and they're not exactly accustomed to living like this anymore.

They miss the electricity.

"What's the point? We don't know how long we'll still live here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charles asks, joining her in bed and she realizes her mistake.

"Well, I don't like this place. It's temporary, remember? Anyway, we can't really do anything about the house until Flint returns. It's his, not ours."

He doesn't say a word as she snuggles into his chest, closing her eyes with a tired sigh while he held her close, crickets chirping outside.

Flint left the Island on the Walrus almost two weeks ago, wanting to see if she would make it back to Newport safely. But he was already taking care of everything to move to Nassau permanently, having decided to finally face the demons from his past.

"And what exactly do you want to do about that?" Charles asks, actually eager to leave this place too. It kills him to see Eleanor so uncomfortable and afflict all the time.

She often wakes up scared in the middle of the night, plagued by vivid nightmares. While the ones about the hanging have mostly left her alone now, she keeps reliving her own death in her sleep.

But thankfully he's there by her side every single time, and she always lets him comfort her. Whether if it is by holding her close, telling her stories about his adventures (both in this life and in the previous), or just burying his head between her thighs until she's screaming his name, Charles always manages to calm her down enough so she can go back to sleep.

But he's had enough of seeing her in such pain.

"I don't know." She answers his question, and strangely, it sounds like a lie.

But why?

"I just feel that we'll be leaving this house. And soon."

He frowns at her enigmatic words. Does that have anything to do with the drawings of his furniture? Is she planning to buy a house and furnish it in a way that makes him feel at home?

_It's so not like her._

And does he even want a life on dry land?

Soon, he sighs, dropping a kiss to the top of her head and extinguishing the candle with his fingers.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Four days later, Eleanor meets Jack outside just before dawn while their beasts are still asleep.

"What do you want me to do?"

She looks over her shoulder, making sure they were alone. "I will make up some excuse to go to  _that_  beach with him tonight. So I need it to be there already by nightfall."

"It will be there."

"Feel free to take Anne with you already, just make sure Charles won't find out. I really want it to be a surprise."

He watches her face with a soft scowl. "You know... There was so much I thought you were going to do once we came back home. But I would have never imagined  _this._ "

A soft smile plays on her lips. Is she winning him over?

Max really needs to hear about this.

"It's still a surprise even to me. But a nice one."

For a split second, she sees the ghost of a smile on his lips.

But it's gone before she can even think to smile back.

* * *

"Just cut the crap already, you know I don't like this kind of bullshit." Anne says with a sour look on her face.

Her bad mood is due to two things. Jack insisted on taking her usual spot behind the wheel (she hates to be in a vehicle when someone else is driving, trusting only in herself), but the worst part is that he was taking her somewhere, refusing to say anything. And she hates surprises.

"Just trust me. We're almost there."

"I swear, if you planned a 'romantic evening' or anything like that, I'll just take the truck and make you walk all the way back to the house."

He scoffs at her words. "Please. You think I'm stupid? Two lives with you taught me a lot."

The redhead rolls her eyes as he stops the truck and gets out of the vehicle. She hesitates before following him. At least they're close to the sea, and that helps calm her nerves.

"What's with this place?"

"There's something we need to do. Ladies first."

She frowns at his words, glancing in the direction he gestured to.

"Are you insane? Who does that belong to?"

"Eleanor, for now. But soon, she will give it to someone else... If you know what I mean."

Anne looks at him as if he had grown a second head.

And a third.

"Is this some sort of joke? You really expect me to believe that selfish cunt would do something like  _this?_  For  _him?_ "

"I know it sounds like a joke. But it's the truth. You'll see. That's what we've been taking care of lately. Now come on."

She watches their new acquisition in suspicious silence before narrowing her eyes at Jack. "You sure she didn't load it with a bomb or something like that?"

He sighs impatiently, grabbing a gentle hold of her arm - and hoping she won't just throw him in the water for it. "Let's just go."

* * *

The full moon is high in the sky and Eleanor is grateful for it. How lucky they are, having a full moon  _tonight._

It's perfect.

Her hands are sweating as they walk the empty beach, and she can't stop her heart from beating frantically in her chest.

At first she worries Jack won't keep his part of their arrangement, but a quiet sigh of relief leaves her lips when she sees the already familiar outline in the sea.

The relief doesn't last for too long though, and she's starting to wonder if this wasn't just a big mistake.

How will Charles react?

It's too late to turn back now, however, and she's fully aware of his eyes on her. He's probably wondering why she requested to come all the way here in the middle of the night, instead of just visiting the beach closer to the house.

Finally, she takes a deep breath, gathering her courage.

_It's now or never._

"Do you know what day is it today?"

"Saturday?" He asks in a bored tone and she gives him a sharp look.

Charles sighs, shaking his head. "Look, I'm not the kind of man who keeps track of important dates. So if today is the anniversary of our first kiss, first meeting, first time, first punch to the jaw or  _whatever_ , sorry but I won't remember."

She scoffs at his words.

_Should've known._

She catches sight of the small rowboat slowly making its way towards the beach and takes a few rushed steps forward.

Charles is looking at her in question as she stops and turns around, coming face to face with him. Her skirt and loose white blouse blow slightly in the ocean breeze, the sleeves rolled up at her elbow and the hem of the blouse tucked into the skirt.

God, he loves it when she dresses these modern versions of her outfits from the past.

If she knew how crazy it makes him...

But she probably does.

They stare at each other in silence for a few moments, and she looks so nervous.

It's a weird sight.

Just as he's about to ask what the fuck is going on, her perfect voice reaches his ears.

"Exactly 302 years ago, on this day, on this very beach... I took your ship from you, so now..." Eleanor gestures towards the sea and he frowns, finally noticing a wooden sailing ship in the distance, the full moon illuminating it beautifully. "...I'm giving her back."

His frown only grows as he looks at her face again, unable to believe this.

_It must be a dream._

His silence is unnerving and she shrugs, forcing a half smile. "I know it's not a square-rigger with 24 cannons, but-"

"Seriously?" His voice is raspy when he interrupts her words, to a point she almost doesn't understand what he said. Her heart sinks a little.

"Are you angry?"

A dry, sarcastic laugh leaves his lips. "If you think you can play around with  _this_  and get away with it, you're sorely mistaken."

He sounds exactly as he did in the previous life, whenever someone got on his nerves.

"You think I'm lying? About  _this,_  of all things? You think I'd do this to you?" She closes the distance between them, touching his arms. "You think I'd be so  _cruel_?"

Again, he laughs darkly, staring at her face in disbelief. "Considering our story, you can't really blame me."

All she wants is to tell him her signature " _fuck you_ " and walk to the city before finding a hotel so she could stay away from him for a few days.

_Or weeks._

But for the first time, Eleanor gets a hold of her temper, not wanting to ruin this night. She spent  _weeks_  planning it.

"I'm not lying to you, Charles. That ship over there..." She points to it, eyes filled with venom. "...belongs to me. That's what Jack and I have been taking care of these past three weeks. I ran against time to be able to prepare everything so I could make this surprise for you tonight. I just wanted to try and repair the past. It's not my fault if you can't let go of what happened three centuries ago. But I bought that thing for  _you_."

Just as he opens his mouth to retort, a third voice reaches their ears.

"And I'm sure that that  _thing_  is really eager to finally meet her new captain."

The couple looks at Jack as he approaches them carefully, the rowboat behind him as the waves reached their feet.

They were so focused on their growing argument, that neither noticed his presence until now.

"If I was a snake, I would have bit you guys." He says with a raised eyebrow.

"Is she telling the truth?" Charles asks, ignoring his little joke, and his old friend sighs.

"Yes. She is. Ready to go meet her?" He gestures towards the sailing ship. "I'm not really looking forward to spending the whole night watching you two fight on this beach, so why don't you do it in the safety of the ship instead?"

Charles looks over at Eleanor but she averts her eyes, giving him the cold shoulder for now.

He doesn't try to talk to her while they get on the rowboat, and silence reigns between the three people while they slowly approach their new home.

His eyes stay glued to the ship the entire time, and he's able to notice more and more details as they get closer and closer.

_The colors..._

It looks almost identical to his old ship, though obviously smaller.

It all still feels like a strange, beautiful dream, and once they're finally on deck, Jack clears his throat awkwardly.

"I'll just go back to mine and Anne's cabin. Don't kill each other."

They ignore him, staring at each other's faces while he hurried below deck.

Finally, Eleanor walks to the ladder as well, glancing at him over her shoulder. He gets the message, following her in silence as she shows him everything, each room and hallway.

Charles briefly wonders if she picked it on her own, but quickly dismisses that thought. Jack probably helped. The ship has everything he likes. There's no way this is just a coincidence.

When they finally reach a large, heavy wooden door at the back of the vessel, she speaks without meeting his eyes. "The Captain's quarters. Inside, there's also a ladder that leads up to the deck. Just behind the helm. So you can have two ways to access it."

Her tone is distant and cold, so different than the one she was using when she showed him his surprise.

And his heart skips a beat as he opens the door.

Strong déjà vu takes him over.

"I took care of furnishing the cabin myself. Had the furniture custom made. That's why you found drawings of them. I wanted to make it look like the cabin you had three hundred years ago." Eleanor says, almost bored as she makes her way over to the large desk near the windows, leaning against it while he slowly walked around the place, touching each one of the objects, eyes drinking it all in.

Her heart flutters against her will at the sight and involuntarily, heat pools low in her belly. He looks so natural. In his habitat.

_Always the Captain._

Pressing her thighs together for a second, she tries to focus on her anger.

"So? Now you believe me, or do I have to-"

The words die in her throat when he closes the distance between them in a heartbeat. Her irritation slowly starts to vanish in the air as he kisses her, pushing her up on the desk.

"I  _won't_  apologize, if that's what you want." He speaks in a low tone, fingers unbuttoning her white blouse. Her eyes fall closed when he removes it completely, her own hands moving under his shirt too.

"I don't expect you to."

"You have any idea how  _perfect_  she is?"

Her heart skips a beat. Freeing him from his shirt, she enjoys the feeling of that hard, bare chest against her own. "So I take it you like her, after all?"

A soft, brief chuckle against the skin of her neck... Her legs wrap around his hips on their own accord.

"I  _adore_  her."

At that, Eleanor can't help her bright smile. "Then how about a 'thank you', at least? It won't hurt you."

His hands move up her thighs under the green skirt and he squeezes the scarred skin, bringing his lips to her ear.

"I have something  _much_  better in mind."

Before she can react, he makes her turn around, her legs now up on the desk too as she faced the windows.

"Move to the other edge."

She does as he instructed, skirt bunched up at her hips. A delicious shiver runs down her spine when he walks around the desk, sitting in the captain's chair with all the calmness in the world. Eleanor swallows hard as he simply stares at her for a while, seeming to be burning the image into his brain so he would always be able to remember this sight. Her, half naked on his desk.

True, she knows this will probably be a common occurrence from now on. But that's not the case with Charles.

Her heart clenches.

Thanks to their past and everything she did, he still worries she'll leave sooner or later. Still thinks he has to cherish every moment, knowing it can be the last one.

This will probably take a while to fade away.

_If it does._

A particularly hard wave crashes against the hull, the noise resounding in his -  _their_  - cabin, causing a frown to come to her face as her wide eyes fly to the windows.

A brief chuckle leaves his lips while he finally moves the heavy chair closer and presses a kiss to her flat stomach, just above the waistband of her skirt before wordlessly using one hand to make her lay down on her back.

The desk is just big enough to accommodate her upper body so she decides to obey his silent order, her legs dropping off the edge.

Again, Charles takes a moment to admire the sight of her spread out on his desk like a banquet, but some of the desire in his eyes turns to sorrow when he sees her birthmark. Her breath catches as he leans in to run his tongue over it, slowly, while at the same time one of his hands worked at removing her underwear.

"I would have kept you safe." He speaks, just loud enough for her to hear, and tears burn in her eyes.

"I know..." Her voice is just as quiet while she stares up at the wooden ceiling of their cabin, one hand finding his as it rested beside her hip on the desk. "...I know."

Intertwining their fingers together, he presses a single, unhurried kiss to the birthmark before doing the same to each one of her scars.

And she doesn't know what grows more each time his lips touch her damaged skin; the desire or the love.

Just as she was almost threatening to have him hanged again, her eyes squeeze shut when he moves closer, tongue flicking out to lick a long stripe through her slick folds, just like he did to her birthmark minutes ago.

Charles enjoys teasing her a little bit too much. She's not sure if she loves it or hates it.

_Probably both._

Her legs move to rest over his shoulders as he pulled her even closer, a low growl leaving his throat and making her shiver. Her eyes open briefly and Eleanor takes in the sight of his head between her thighs, the windows behind him letting her see the starry sky. He meets her gaze for a few seconds in their moonlit cabin before her eyes fall closed again as she lets out a moan of his name, that sinful tongue moving inside her just the way she likes.

The highly addictive sounds leaving her lips let him know she's close and Charles doubles his efforts while she rocks shamelessly against his mouth, the fingers of her left hand still intertwined with his.

Her other hand holds on to the edge of the desk near her head, but it moves to his hair when she comes hard, his name leaving her lips over and over again.

It sounds like the most perfect music to his ears.

After giving her inner thigh a soft bite, Charles gets to his feet with a smug look on his face and she musters the strength to roll her eyes at him while sitting up on the surface of the desk again.

All Eleanor wants is to make him lose that cocky smirk of his...

And she knows exactly what to do.

His self control is clearly hanging on by a thread as she wraps her arms around his neck, soft breasts pressed to his hard chest.

It's his turn to close his eyes as she slowly licks his ear shell.

She just wants to make him lose control tonight, no matter what. And that's why she ignores the little voice in her head saying that this isn't like her. Saying that the words on the tip of her tongue are a show of submission and that he will probably tease her about it later.

But she simply doesn't give a  _damn._

"Take me to bed, Captain Vane." She says in his ear and he growls.

In a matter of seconds she's on the bunk, and Eleanor has absolutely no idea how he got rid of his pants so quickly. But then he's moving inside her and she forgets about everything else.

About the ship rocking beneath them.

About his crew sleeping in their own cabin, just down the hall.

Her legs go around his hips, pulling him in deeper with each thrust while he leaves open mouthed kisses on her jaw, neck, collarbone, his breath hot on her skin.

She doesn't fail to notice how his thumbs occasionally caress her sides, her face, so gently, in total contrast with the way he moved.

_God, he loves her so much,_ The thought comes to her mind suddenly and she tangles her hands on his wild hair, pulling, forcing him to meet her eyes for a brief moment.

But seconds later he's burying his face in her neck, a loud groan leaving his lips as he rides out his release.

A soft smile comes to Eleanor's face when he collapses on top of her, the weight of his body pressing her into the mattress. Her hands move across his sweaty back as he tries to recover, breathing slowly returning to normal.

Soon, he's moving into a sitting position and pulling her with him, bodies still joined, their eyes locked together.

Those sea-blue depths are still dark with desire, and a delicious shiver runs down Eleanor's spine.

_It's gonna be one of those nights._

* * *

The wood creaks, waves crashing against the hull as she lays there, staring at his peaceful features. Her fingers seem to have a mind of their own, going to his face and trailing over his strong jawline softly.

She used to do the same thing with her husband in the dead of night when he was asleep, from times to times.

But this feels so much better.

Eleanor shifts on the mattress, her back touching the wooden wall. The bunk is barely big enough to fit both of them, they're forced really close to each other.

But she doesn't have a word of complaint.

A strange noise comes from the deck and she frowns, looking up at the wooden ceiling. Charles doesn't stir, so she presses a kiss to his forehead before sneaking out of bed and dressing in silence.

Deciding to just go up the ladder, since it was the fastest way to access her destination, she emerges on deck, looking for the source of the noise.

And what is her surprise when she sees Jack at the bow... interacting with a seagull.

For a moment, she glances down at the captain's quarters, considering the idea of just going back to bed and leaving the man alone.

But she's simply too intrigued.

"I thought they slept during the night." She speaks, making her way over to the bow too. The bird flies away as soon as it sees her.

Jack watches the distancing creature for a moment before shrugging. "It's not exactly nighttime anymore, look."

He points to the sky and she's surprised to see the first streaks of dawn.

Did she and Charles really spent that long in their cabin?

"Time flies when you're having fun." Jack speaks in a sarcastic tone, seeming to read her thoughts.

A smirk tugs at her lips and she raises her chin. "So, are you some kind of seagull whisperer?"

He still looks at her as if he's dealing with a wild animal, cautious, reluctant to put any trust in her.

But now, the hatred she used to see so clearly in his eyes has diminished considerably.

"It's just something that has been with me since the previous life. Seagulls, for some reason, seem to like me a lot. They're always really scared of Anne though. You'll see."

Eleanor chuckles as she joins him at the rail. "And who isn't?"

"Probably only Charles and Max."

"True." She agrees, seeing him repressing a smile out the corner of her eye.

Neither says a word for a few minutes.

"Thank you for your help. You were right. He absolutely loves it."

Jack grimaces, shaking his head. " _Her_. Don't call her ' _it_ ' in front of him, or he'll have a fit and yell at you. Fair warning."

She chuckles, nodding and glancing towards the ladder over her shoulder.

"I'll go back below deck to the captain's quarters now. Like you, I also have a savage beast to distract."

He watches her go for a moment, an inner conflict going on inside him until he sighs.

"Eleanor?"

The blonde stops, turning to look at him with questioning eyes.

"For the love of God, don't tell Anne I said this, but... You  _may_  be starting to grow on me. Just a little bit, of course."

It surprises her to realize just how happy she feels with this revelation. A soft smile tugs at her lips.

"You too... just a little."

Jack rolls his eyes, though the amused look on his face doesn't fade away.

"Have a pleasant..." He looks up at the sky, shrugging. "…morning, Miss Guthrie. Good luck with your barbarian."

"Good luck with yours."

With one last smirk, she goes down the ladder, closing the hatch above her head.

Charles stirs on the bunk, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Jack was having a chat with a seagull. I had to get a closer look." Eleanor explains, undressing quickly before climbing on the mattress again, crawling over his body so she could return to the empty spot next to the wooden wall.

"He does that a lot." He says with that sleep-ragged voice she loves, arms immediately closing around her.

After a while she thinks he fell asleep again, but just as she closes her eyes, he speaks again.

"Tomorrow I'll go get your stuff for you. You won't need to go back to that house. Just wait on the ship."

Her heart swells with love and she nods into his chest, so relieved she wouldn't have to go back to that haunting place.

"Did you name her?" He asks, caressing her hair as she shakes her head.

"Of course not. She's yours. Although I already know what you'll call her..." Eleanor meets his eyes with a half smirk. "But I just wanted to save the honor for you."

A brief chuckle leaves his lips. And sure enough, he already decides on a name.

"Welcome to life on  _the Ranger_ , Miss Guthrie."

_Finally._

A wicked glint comes to her eyes.

"I have a feeling I will enjoy this life a lot..." She moves to press a kiss to his lips before pulling away and whispering those two words she knows are his undoing. " _Captain Vane._ "

He has her on her back before she can blink.

* * *

The noise from the captain's quarters reaches theirs again and Anne growls in annoyance.

When she thinks they are going to get some peace...

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Her partner only sighs beside her, trying his best to block out the noise so he could get some sleep. Part of him is still indignant about this whole situation.

But another part can't help but feel happy for Charles...

The man who's like a brother to him.

"I'm gonna throw these two idiots overboard." Anne grumbles and Jack smirks, eyes still closed while he pulls her into his arms.

Who would've ever known it was possible for him to feel so at peace while living in the same ship as Eleanor.

Maybe this shouldn't be happening. Maybe disaster will still strike sooner or later.

She and Charles can go back to their old ways...

And how is Teach going to react when they travel to Somalia?

All these doubts have been haunting him ever since Anne brought Eleanor back to the hideout after the whole almost-rape incident, when she made the decision to finally stay with them.

But for some reason, he feels they will be just fine.

And for now, that is enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww.
> 
> I love that ship like crazy. I had to brought it back... Sort of.
> 
> And I didn't plan to make them fight after the surprise. Initially, I had a much sweeter scene planned in my head, but it just happened. Sometimes it's like this story has a mind of its own, I swear.
> 
> But I guess this suits them much better than a fairytale-like scene with kisses and rainbows lol.


	60. A Lifetime

A groan of annoyance leaves her lips as Eleanor opens her eyes again, staring up at the wooden ceiling.

It's her third night on the Ranger and she can't sleep.

_Just her luck._

Back at the Barlow house she couldn't get much rest thanks to the nightmares about her death, and when she thought she'd finally be able to sleep peacefully...

She forgot how much trouble she has sleeping on a ship.

There's just too much  _noise._

The creaking wood.

The waves. Every now and again she gets startled, thinking the water will invade the captain's quarters whenever a stronger wave crashes against the hull.

This is so  _fucking frustrating._

Charles is sound asleep beside her, of course. Unlike her, he's been sleeping much better since they moved to the ship.

It warms her heart, the irritation fading for a moment as a soft smile tugs at her lips. He looks so at peace now that he's back in his natural habitat.

And it's thanks to her.

Too bad she doesn't get to enjoy this serenity with him.

Eleanor rolls onto her side for the 100th time - or tries to. This stupid bunk hardly gives her room to move, it's infuriating.

Another wave crashes against the hull and she rolls her eyes, growing more and more uncomfortable with each passing second.

_"I should probably talk to Charles about getting a larger bunk",_  she thinks, although having initially loved this one.

But it seems that spending this whole life sleeping in a queen sized bed made her a little too demanding.

God, when the  _hell_  did she become so fucking spoiled?

She keeps tossing and turning restlessly until Charles stirs beside her.

"What's wrong?" That grave voice asks suddenly and she pauses, meeting his eyes as he faces her.

"Can't sleep."

He's half asleep, and yet his hand moves to her waist, pulling her closer. "Want me to tire you out?"

With a roll of her eyes, Eleanor scoffs at him, pulling away until her body is touching the wooden wall. His arm follows her, hand resting over her hip.

"That's the problem. You already did. But still, I just can't relax and fall asleep."

They stay silent for a while, listening to the waves, and she only knows he's still awake thanks to his thumb caressing her exposed stomach lazily.

"I'm just not used to this whole thing." Eleanor explains, looking at his face again. "How can you sleep like this?"

He sighs.

"Come here."

His arms close around her and for a moment she considers putting up a fight.

But exhaustion wins and she sighs as Charles pulls her to his chest.

"Once you get used to it, you won't ever want to sleep anywhere else."

Another scoff leaves her lips and she shakes her head. "Well then, how do I get used to it?"

"Close your eyes."

After a moment's hesitation she obeys, one hand traveling to the back of his neck and tangling in his hair.

"Listen."

"To what? There's just creaking wood-"

"Exactly. Listen to the creaking wood. The waves. Concentrate on them. Just relax and feel the rocking of the ship."

He's using that lazy, low and calm voice. The one that never fails to soothe her.

The one she missed so terribly after the hanging.

When he speaks about the noises like this, they suddenly don't sound annoying anymore.

One of his hands massages her shoulder and upper back, occasionally moving to her scalp too.

_She's in heaven._

Her discomfort is vanishing like smoke in the air.

His touch, warmth and the now surprisingly soothing sounds...

Her eyelids start to feel heavy.

"Just go to sleep." His whispered words are all she needs.

Charles stays awake for a while longer, making sure she was sleeping peacefully before pressing a kiss to her forehead and closing his eyes, a smile refusing to leave his lips.

The wood of his ship creaking, the sound and rocking of the waves... and Eleanor safe in his arms.

_There's no better way to fall asleep._

* * *

**Los Angeles**

**Three weeks later**

"Next time she goes, I will go with her. What about you?" Madi asks as she sits on the couch with John, staring out the window.

He nods, Caroline watching them from the other couch.

"I'll follow you."

"It's a beautiful mission, what your mother does in that place. You must be proud." Says the medium, now blonde again, and Madi smiles at her.

"I am. Really proud. And I want to do the same. I miss her so much while she's gone, but it's for a greater good. Volunteer work in Africa... It really changes these people's lives, doesn't it?"

"It does. It really does." Caroline agrees with a warm smile and just then, a cab stops in front of the house.

"She's here. Go get my dad, please. Let's get ready."

The medium nods at her words, getting to her feet and leaving the room.

As the woman outside makes her way to the door, John sighs heavily, moving to get up from the couch, but Madi grabs a hold of his wrist. He frowns at the somewhat reluctant look on her face

"What?"

"I'm just really glad we were able to leave the past in the past."

A smile plays on his lips.

"Me too, gorgeous."

Just as she smiles back, the front door opens.

"Where are my loves?" Her mother's voice reaches her ears and Madi smiles brightly, rushing to meet her.

The smile on the older woman's face falters when she sees her husband walking down the staircase with a familiar someone at his side.

"Cora? What are you doing in here?"

The medium offers her a soft smile, leaning against the wall while the newly-arrived woman received the welcome-home hugs from her husband and daughter.

"Caroline. My real name is Caroline."

"Mom, there's something you need to know." Madi tells her concerned mother as they all move back to the living room.

"What's going on?"

"Sit down. We have a story to tell you." Scott says and his wife just stares at him in pure confusion. He knows this won't be easy, but at least she won't think they're crazy, since she's a spiritist like them.

"What story?"

He offers her one of his kind smiles, holding both hers and his daughter's hands.

" _Our_  story."

* * *

His jaw is clenched hard. Richard runs a hand through his hair, burying his face in his hands with a heavy sigh.

Ever since his daughter left, things have been slowly crumbling down all around him, though he refuses to acknowledge that fact.

However, he can't ignore how awfully bad things are going. There's more competition arriving, and he doesn't know what to do.

_He'll start to lose money soon._

Finding out that Eleanor knew about the whole illegal animal trade business all along was alarming, to say the least.

She could have ruined his life.

All those fights they had throughout the years... His daughter could have sold him out anytime, if her anger towards him got the best of her.

It's uncomfortable to realize that she had him on the palm of her hand this whole time, and he didn't even know about it.

His eyes go to Caroline's portrait.

"How could an  _angel_  like you give birth to such a wretched creature?"

He doesn't even recognize his own daughter. She was always so rational. And all of a sudden she leaves her safe life behind, with a man he never saw before.

Was that the same criminal she was seeing months ago? The one Woodes was so intent on finding?

Is he the same bastard who put his friend's son in a coma?

Richard scoffs, shaking his head. Of all the things he expected from his daughter, he never thought she would do something like this. Running away with her criminal lover, as if she was the main character of some epic romance.

_It's completely pathetic._

And the words that the strange man said at the garden are still haunting him.

_"You had a second chance and you failed your daughter, again."_

What in the world did he mean by that?

Whatever it is, it's not important.

He has other stuff to worry about.

Like his crumbling business.

Deep down, Richard knows that he can't do this alone, considering how bad things are getting.

Reluctantly, his eyes move to his phone as it rests on his desk.

_Will he need to swallow his pride and call his siblings?_

* * *

Lavinia Gates' healthy laughter trails off into the wind as she runs towards the sea, following her two big brothers.

Her father watches the scene, unable to contain his bright smile, Amber sitting on the sand beside him.

This family vacation is everything they needed after all the hard times they faced recently.

And it was only possible thanks to the mysterious bag full of money he found on his doorstep.

Things have been going so perfectly well, that sometimes Hal still worries he'll wake up from this wonderful dream.

His daughter is  _finally_  healthy. They now have more than enough money to send her and their twin boys to college.

And to think that only a short time ago, he was worried that his family would starve.

The note he found with the bag still rests inside his bedside table's drawer and sometimes he looks at it for hours, at the strangely familiar calligraphy.

Who could have done this?

And why?

* * *

A lone tear runs down her face while Sarah stares at the unmoving form on the bed, the steady bip from the machines echoing in the room.

That ghastly cut on her ex-husband's cheek is still trying to heal. It looks like the wound wasn't so serious at first, but then someone rubbed a hard object against it... A rock, perhaps?

His skin is so pale. He looks half-dead.

And her heart never felt so empty.

"At what time do you have your doctor's appointment tomorrow?" Mason asks from the door and she glances at him over her shoulder.

"Ten."

"I'll take you. While my brother isn't back yet, I will step up and take care of my nephew or niece for him."

A quiet "thanks" is all he gets.

And Sarah still makes no move to leave her spot beside his brother's hospital bed.

Mason sighs heavily.

This woman truly loves him. Why the hell did he have to leave her?

Only to waste time and energy running after a young woman who clearly didn't give a shit about him.

And now he paid the price for his stupidity.

Even though there were no witnesses, Mason already knows who did this to Woodes.

_There will be revenge._

"You need to go home and rest, Sarah." He finally says, walking over to the bed. "Think about the baby. All this stress is not good for him or her. Remember this is your only chance. You must be extra careful."

At first, she shakes her head. But then she realizes he's right.

Mason helps her to her feet and she presses a kiss to her fingertips before bringing them to her ex-husbands lips.

"I love you so much, Woodes. Please come back to me. Come back to  _us_."

Sarah stares at his face for a moment, clinging to the hope that he would somehow hear her plea and wake up.

But nothing happens.

A choked sob leaves her lips as she rushes out of the room.

Mason watches the door for a moment before looking at his comatose brother again.

That already familiar hatred for Eleanor and the  _animal_ who did this to him rises in his chest.

For now, he can't do anything. He has Sarah to consider. She's carrying his nephew or niece, it's a high risk pregnancy, and to top it all off, she's emotionally distraught.

She needs him here to take care of her and the unborn child.

So for now, Mason has decided to leave the two lovebirds alone.

_For now._

"Come on, little brother. You must fight harder. Your family needs you."

He really needs Woodes to wake up soon. Once the baby is born and safe, once his brother is back, they will go after these two.

He suspects that his sibling will be eager to get revenge on Eleanor.

And they will do this together.

Mason won't take this away from him.

* * *

She always loved how beautiful the gardens of their mansion are.

Abigail smiles softly, staring out the window of her room. The trees and flowers lose only to the ones from the Guthrie Mansion. She has no idea how Eleanor could decide to leave her wonderful home behind.

The 16-year-old girl lowers her eyes, smile faltering.

She already misses her role model terribly.

"Did you do your homework?" Her father asks as he walks into the room and she looks over at him, nodding. A brief smile of approval comes to his lips.

"Good. I want you at the dining room early tonight, there will be special guests. A friend of mine is bringing his son. He's your age. Maybe the two of you can talk."

She gives him a startled look and Peter shakes his head.

"I'm not trying to force you into marriage, Abbie. The times when parents did that are long gone. I'm merely showing you what I think is a nice opportunity. It's up to you to decide if you wish to take it or not."

He gives her a warm smile before leaving the room.

He really sounded sincere and even though she's reassured, the words Eleanor once said to her echo through her mind.

_"Your father is a manipulator. I know men like him. You're too naive, so you need to be careful. I don't want him to pressure you into anything. He's the kind of silver tongued snake who will impose his ideas to you, while making you feel like they're yours. He will manipulate you, so you will do what he wants while thinking you're making your own decisions. Be careful with that."_

Abigail bites her lower lip, deep in thought. Eleanor always said she's not really safe with Peter. Was she right?

If so, how could she leave her behind like this?

It just felt like such a betrayal, and her young heart still hurts.

She's kind of lost without her role model to guide her, having always relied on Eleanor when she had important decisions to make.

Now what is she going to do?

* * *

"Mama, look!"

Mary knees down on the sand with a bright smile so she can see the colorful shells Davina has in her hands.

They're beautiful, the kinds only Billy manages to grab from the bottom of the ocean.

And the little girl is ecstatic every time.

"They're so beautiful, sweetie! Did you thank cousin Billy?"

"She did." He says, walking up to them with a smirk, still wet from the sea. "But I confess I'm not quite satisfied yet."

Mary smiles brightly when he reaches down to throw her adoptive daughter over his shoulder, tickling one of her sides as she laughs, tiny fists hitting his back while still holding her little shells.

She pleads him to stop with the tickle attack, breathless from laughing, and Billy actually pauses, pretending to think.

"Should I? Is a ' _thank you_ ' all I get for the shells, missy?"

He sets her back on the sand, crouching down in front of her.

Davina rolls her eyes playfully before kissing his cheek and throwing her little arms around his neck.

"You're the best big cousin ever and I love you."

Mary laughs, heart filling with love while she watches them.

"Now that's more like it."

The child giggles as she pulls away. "I can't wait until my brother is here and you can meet him."

"I have to admit I'm jealous of this man. I thought you said I was your number one?"

Mary rolls her eyes at his drama as her adoptive daughter nods.

"You still are, silly! But now I have two number ones!"

Billy can't help but laugh at her words while Mary stands up, grabbing the little leather jacket and putting it around Davina's shoulders.

"Alright, it's getting dark. Let's go back to the house now, young lady. Your hair is still wet and I don't want you to catch a cold."

The child reaches for Billy and he picks her up before they start the short walk home.

"When do you need to be at the headquarters tomorrow?"

He sighs, arms tightening involuntarily around his baby cousin. "At first light. Teach says there's a cargo ship coming from Australia. He wants us to... you know. And it needs to be done while the ship is still away from our shores. Or it will be too risky for us."

Mary nods, and he sees the sparkle in her eyes.

"You could come with us, you know. You used to love doing this, when I first brought you to Somalia. And I can see that you miss it a lot."

She gives him a sharp look. "No. I can't. I have Davina now, and she needs me. I won't take unnecessary risks. That life is behind me. I have a child to raise."

"Suit yourself."

She smiles, walking alongside her cousin.

They think Davina fell asleep, but the little girl's eyes are wide open as she rests her chin on Billy's firm shoulder.

She's staring in pure wonder at a silhouette, far away in the sea.

How she loves the rare occasions when they come to the beach and she gets to see it...

Her eyes don't leave the huge wooden ship for a moment as  _the Revenge_  sways gently in the waves.

* * *

"I just realized something."

Charles looks down at the blonde perfection in his arms and she meets his questioning eyes.

The two of them have been stargazing for the last two hours, admiring the beautiful, clear sky that could only be seen in the open sea. Away from civilization.

A thin sheet covers their bodies as they lay on a lounge chair, the ship rocking softly beneath them.

"And what is it? "He asks and Eleanor bites her lower lip, hesitating for a moment.

"This ship... I didn't buy it just so I could thank you for saving me and bringing me back home." Her eyes drop to his chest, fingers grasping at his shirt. "I did this because I wanted to. Not to settle a debt. But because I wanted to make you happy. Simple as that. And... All the times we slept together in this life, all the moments we shared... I never felt as if I was indebted to you, like in the previous life. I just wanted to be with you. And this time, I gave in to the urge."

He smiles briefly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, arms tightening around her waist.

Neither fails to notice that they're repeating that situation from months ago, when they were watching the stars at the pier near Teach's cabin.

Eleanor shivers just to think about all the hell that followed shortly after that weekend. When they remembered who they were. She felt so hopeless back then, absolutely sure that Charles and her were finished. But now here they are again. Memories recovered, and overcoming everything.

_They won._

"By the way..." He begins, one hand caressing her shoulder lovingly, and her eyes return to his. "I never got to reply to what you said that night... When I forced you to be honest and tell me your true feelings."

"After my 'engagement'?"

He nods, eyes darkening for a second. The mere thought of that ring on her finger is still enough to make him cringe.

But all of that is behind them now, and he needs to focus on the present.

Charles brushes her hair behind her ear, finally forcing himself to say the words.

"I fucking love you too."

Her heart almost stops.

But she soon regains her composure, smirking at him.

"As if I didn't know that already."

As if  _everyone_  didn't know that already.

He rolls his eyes and Eleanor sits up on the lounge chair, glancing over her shoulder at the silhouette of the Island in the distance.

The lost girl has finally returned home.

"That place is my home... No matter how much time passes or what happens... But it took me three hundred years to accept what I already knew." She looks at him as he sits up too, watching her closely. A smile plays on her lips. " _You_. You are my home, as well as Nassau. You always were. And you always will be."

There's a smart, sarcastic retort on the tip of his tongue, but he holds back.

She's having a rare moment here, letting her walls down and speaking about her feelings openly. God only knows when this will happen again.

So Charles stays silent, not wanting to ruin this perfect moment.

Eleanor lets out a brief laugh, shaking her head.

"Guess it's true, what people say about you and I. We're two stubborn mules. Only after three centuries we have our  _lifetime_."

He smirks. "Better late than never."

_Love's never too late._

She nods, a smile refusing to leave her lips.

"Indeed... Is ' _a lifetime_ ' our own version of the famous ' _happy ending_ '?"

Her tone is playful, a sarcastic glint in her eyes. But Charles sees the hint of insecurity in those gorgeous blue-green depths, moving closer and gathering her in his arms again.

"It's not an ending. It's a beginning."

The bright smile Eleanor gives him is worth more than all the gold he ever collected.

And so is the slow, wonderful kiss they share under the stars.

To hell with their uncertain future.

To hell with all the dangers they will face.

They are together now, for good, willing to face everything that will come their way, by each other's side.

And that's all that really matters.

* * *

Miles away, on the beach of her Island, the Asian medium closes her eyes with a half smile on her face.

The wind caresses her cheeks, bringing the all too familiar scent of the ocean as the waves reach her bare feet, creating the soothing lullaby she loves so much.

She doesn't need to look over her shoulder into the jungle to know that her whole community is fast asleep.

She's the leader. Like she always was.

Always commanding, always the strongest, the smartest, the most successful of them all.

Those glorious days may be long gone but her name remains immortalized in the history of the high seas.

And even though her secret little community is far from being as large as the empire she had in the past, it doesn't matter.

She's still a force to be reckoned with.

_Powerful._

Eyes still closed, she lets her psychic abilities run free, effortlessly slipping into that all too familiar trance, the one she has every once in a while, when her curiosity wins and she can't hold back from checking up on the current situation of her fellow historical figures.

The ones whose names are immortalized just as her own.

All playthings of fate, ensnared in a deep, huge and complicated web that never fails to entertain her.

_Blackbeard._

She feels his inner turmoil. The anxiety. The anguish.

The  _love_.

Hesitating, the Asian forces herself to leave him and check on the rest of them.

_Mary Read._

The only one who's still completely clueless about the past. A strong woman and now, a mother.

_Jack Rackham._

Still just as smart. Still the patient, rational man that keeps his two inseparable partners from making too many wrong decisions.

_Anne Bonny._

The killing machine. She always admired this one.

_**Charles Vane.** _

The hardened, cold-blooded brute...

Whose heart belongs to a golden-haired angel.

_This one._  This one intrigues her.

A lot.

Such a wild beast, feral, untamed, strong, filled with darkness, the kind of man who could make anyone swallow hard in fear.

No one could control him. No one could get close to him, earn his affection...

No one but  _her_.

That Guthrie girl managed to take possession of his cold heart and make it melt in her delicate hands.

Not even the highly powerful medium can understand these two.

He's a feared, hardened savage. And yet, he acts as if he found the largest treasure in the world whenever that golden-haired girl is near him.

_Interesting._

And after three centuries, it seems the star crossed lovers are finally at peace.

_For now._

A smile tugs at her lips.

All her fellow historical figures of the high seas, they amuse her.

_Children._

Coming back from the trance, the Asian chuckles briefly, eyes glued to the ocean.

She feels the shift in the air...

There's a lot to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap. God, I'm emotional lol.  
> The sequel is already being written and should be up next weekend already.  
> Thank you all <3


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